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Escherichia coli as reservoir for macrolide resistance genes

Minh Chau Phuc Nguyen1, Paul-Louis Woerther, Mathilde Bouvet

  • 1Université de Caen, Caen, France.

Emerging Infectious Diseases
|October 29, 2009
PubMed

Insights

The azithromycin resistance gene mph(A), found in Shigella sonnei, is spreading in Escherichia coli globally. Continued spread to Shigella and Salmonella species is anticipated, posing a significant public health concern.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Genetics
  • Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

  • The emergence of antibiotic resistance genes is a growing global health threat.
  • The mph(A) gene confers resistance to azithromycin, a crucial antibiotic.
  • Recent detection of mph(A) in Shigella sonnei highlights its evolving presence.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence and distribution of the mph(A) gene in Escherichia coli isolates.
  • To assess the presence of mph(A) in both multidrug-resistant and non-multidrug-resistant E. coli.
  • To predict the potential future spread of this resistance gene.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of plasmid-borne mph(A) gene.
  • Isolation and characterization of Escherichia coli from various geographical locations.
  • Assessment of antimicrobial resistance profiles in E. coli isolates.

Main Results:

  • The plasmid-borne mph(A) gene was identified in Escherichia coli isolates from four different continents.
  • mph(A) was found in both multidrug-resistant and non-multidrug-resistant E. coli strains.
  • The gene's presence across diverse E. coli populations indicates significant dissemination.

Conclusions:

  • The mph(A) gene is actively spreading within Escherichia coli populations worldwide.
  • Further dissemination to other Enterobacteriaceae, such as Shigella and Salmonella, is a likely scenario.
  • This widespread distribution necessitates enhanced surveillance and control strategies for azithromycin resistance.

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