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Intercontinental spread of a multiresistant clone of serotype 23F Streptococcus pneumoniae
R Muñoz1, T J Coffey, M Daniels
1Laboratory of Microbiology, Rockefeller University, New York City, NY 10021.
Abstract:
Isolates of serotype 23F Streptococcus pneumoniae with high levels of resistance of penicillin have been commonly recovered in Spain for more than a decade. Recently penicillin-resistant serotype 23F S. pneumoniae strains were also isolated from children attending a day-care center in Cleveland. A number of Spanish and Cleveland isolates were compared by electrophoretic analysis of penicillin-binding protein (PBP) profiles and DNA restriction endonuclease cleavage profiles of the PBP 2X and 2B genes amplified with the polymerase chain reaction and by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis. All strains were identical by these criteria. The findings demonstrate that the Spanish and Cleveland isolates are clonally related and suggest that this antibiotic resistant clone of serotype 23F S. pneumoniae has spread intercontinentally from Spain to the United States.
Insights
Penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 23F strains, common in Spain, were found in the US. Genetic analysis confirmed these antibiotic-resistant bacteria are the same clone, suggesting intercontinental spread.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Genetics
Background:
- Serotype 23F Streptococcus pneumoniae strains exhibiting high penicillin resistance have been prevalent in Spain for over ten years.
- Recently, similar penicillin-resistant strains were identified in children attending a day-care center in Cleveland, USA.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the clonal relationship between Spanish and US isolates of penicillin-resistant serotype 23F Streptococcus pneumoniae.
- To determine if the emergence of these resistant strains in the US is linked to the prevalent Spanish clone.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of penicillin-binding protein (PBP) profiles using electrophoretic methods.
- DNA analysis of PBP 2X and 2B genes via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and restriction endonuclease cleavage profiling.
- Multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (MLEE) for overall strain comparison.
Main Results:
- All analyzed Spanish and Cleveland isolates demonstrated identical PBP profiles.
- Genetic analysis of PBP genes and MLEE revealed no discernible differences between the isolates.
- The findings indicate that the Spanish and Cleveland strains are clonally identical.
Conclusions:
- The penicillin-resistant serotype 23F Streptococcus pneumoniae strains found in Spain and the US are clonally related.
- This suggests a successful intercontinental dissemination of this specific antibiotic-resistant clone from Spain to the United States.
- The study highlights the potential for rapid global spread of antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens.