Interspecies recombination in type II topoisomerase genes is not a major cause of fluoroquinolone resistance in invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates in the United States

Mathias W R Pletz; Lesley McGee; Bernard Beall; Cynthia G Whitney; Keith P Klugman

doi:10.1128/AAC.49.2.779-780.2005

Interspecies recombination in type II topoisomerase genes is not a major cause of fluoroquinolone resistance in invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates in the United States

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2005 Feb;49(2):779-80. doi: 10.1128/AAC.49.2.779-780.2005.

Authors

Mathias W R Pletz¹, Lesley McGee, Bernard Beall, Cynthia G Whitney, Keith P Klugman

Affiliation

¹ Department of International Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd., Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. [email protected]

Abstract

Mutations in the topoisomerase type II enzymes account for fluoroquinolone resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae. These mutations can arise spontaneously or be transferred by intraspecies or interspecies recombination, primarily with viridans streptococci. We analyzed the nucleotide sequences of the quinolone resistance-determining regions of 49 invasive levofloxacin-resistant pneumococcal isolates and did not find any evidence for interspecies recombination.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
DNA Topoisomerases, Type II / genetics*
Drug Resistance, Bacterial
Fluoroquinolones / pharmacology*
Gene Transfer, Horizontal
Levofloxacin
Ofloxacin / pharmacology
Pneumococcal Infections / microbiology*
Recombination, Genetic*
Streptococcus pneumoniae / drug effects*
Streptococcus pneumoniae / genetics*
United States
Viridans Streptococci / drug effects
Viridans Streptococci / genetics

Substances

Anti-Bacterial Agents
Fluoroquinolones
Levofloxacin
Ofloxacin
DNA Topoisomerases, Type II