Serotype and genotype replacement among macrolide-resistant invasive Pneumococci in adults: mechanisms of resistance and association with different transposons

J Clin Microbiol. 2010 Apr;48(4):1310-6. doi: 10.1128/JCM.01868-09. Epub 2010 Feb 10.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze trends in adult invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) due to macrolide-resistant strains and to study the evolution of serotypes, genotypes, and macrolide-resistant determinants of strains collected in a prospective study between 1999 and 2007 in Barcelona, Spain. IPD due to macrolide-resistant strains of serotypes included in the 7-valent conjugate vaccine (PCV7) decreased from 2.16/100,000 (pre-PCV7 period, 1999 to 2001) to 0.80/100,000 (late-PCV7 period, 2005 to 2007) (P = 0.001), whereas IPD due to macrolide-resistant strains of non-PCV7 serotypes increased from 1.08/100,000 to 2.83/100,000 (P < 0.001). These changes were related to a fall of clones of PCV7 serotypes (ST81 [P < 0.05], ST90, ST315, and ST17) and an increase in new clones of serotypes 19A and 24F (ST230) and 33F (ST717) in the late-PCV7 period. The most common phenotype was MLS(B) (90.9%), related to the erm(B) gene. The frequent association between MLS(B) phenotype and tetracycline resistance [tet(M) gene], was related to transposons of the Tn916-family such as Tn6002 or Tn3872. In conclusion, overall adult IPD rates due to macrolide-resistant pneumococci stabilized between 1999 and 2007 in Barcelona. The decrease in macrolide-resistant PCV7 pneumococci was balanced by the increase in macrolide-resistant non-PCV7 pneumococci.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Bacterial Typing Techniques*
  • DNA Fingerprinting
  • DNA Transposable Elements*
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial*
  • Female
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Macrolides / pharmacology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Molecular Epidemiology
  • Pneumococcal Infections / epidemiology*
  • Pneumococcal Infections / microbiology
  • Serotyping
  • Spain / epidemiology
  • Streptococcus pneumoniae / drug effects*
  • Streptococcus pneumoniae / isolation & purification
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • DNA Transposable Elements
  • Macrolides