Telithromycin resistance in Campylobacter mediated by 23S rRNA A2075G mutation and erm(B)

Recently, epidemiological research has shown an unusually high prevalence of telithromycin-resistant Campylobacter. This study was designed to investigate the potential resistance mechanism of telithromycin resistance in Campylobacter.

A total of 122 Campylobacter isolates of chicken origin collected in 2019 from three regions of China were tested for susceptibility to telithromycin. The potential mechanism of resistance to telithromycin in Campylobacter was revealed through WGS analysis and natural transformation.

In this study, 51.3% (61/119) of Campylobacter coli and 100.0% (3/3) of Campylobacter jejuni were resistant to telithromycin. erm(B) or A2075G mutation in 23S rRNA (23S_A2075G) was identified in the telithromycin-resistant C. coli. Cloning of the erm(B) or 23S_A2075G into C. jejuni NCTC 11168 resulted in a 256-fold increase in the MIC of telithromycin. MLST results indicated that various STs were involved in the dissemination of 23S_A2075G and erm(B). Phylogenetic analysis showed that the C. coli isolates with 23S_A2075G and erm(B) from chickens and humans were closely related.

23S_A2075G and erm(B), which have been widely spread in different genotypes of C. coli isolated from animals and humans, could mediate high levels of resistance to telithromycin in C. coli. C. coli containing 23S_A2075G or erm(B) are clonally related and have the potential to spread zoonotic diseases.