Penicillinase plasmid Australia type in Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolated in Poland

Neisseria gonorrhoeae is an etiological agent of gonorrhea which remains a major public health problem the mechanisms that determine resistance to drugs of the beta-lactam class, which are recommended for the treatment of gonorrhea, are currently the most important problem in its treatment. Chromosomal mutations are responsible for resistance to ceftriaxone and cefepime. The possibility of mutations in the gene encoding beta-lactamase (bla_TEM) in the penicillinase plasmid may also turn out to be a serious threat.

The occurrence of resistance encoded on penicillinase plasmid has been investigated. For this purpose, the susceptibility of bacteria was determined and the gene for resistance to beta-lactams as well as the plasmids themselves was typed.

Of the 333 strains tested, 21 (6.3%) had the beta-lactamase gene and produced penicillinase. Two of the beta-lactamase: TEM-1 and TEM-135 occurred among the tested strains of N. gonorrhoeae. Most of the known penicillinase plasmid types of N. gonorrhoeae were demonstrated: the Asian, the African, the Toronto/Rio plasmids and Australian variants.

In the first 3 years, TEM-1 beta-lactamases dominated in N. gonorrhoeae, which were replaced by TEM-135 in the following years of the study. Not all molecular methods are capable of varying the types of penicillinase plasmids. A particularly noteworthy observation is the fact that the Australia-type of penicillinase plasmid (3270 bp) was identified for the first time in Europe, and the second time in the world.