Association between auxotypes, serogroups, and antibiotic susceptibilities of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolated from women in Mumbai (formerly Bombay), India.
OBJECTIVE
Gonococcal isolates were differentiated based on susceptibility pattern, penicillinase production (PPNG or non-PPNG), serogroup, auxotype, protein, and plasmid profile. The association between serogroup and auxotype and PPNG was determined.


METHODS
Women attending tertiary level health centers and the sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic in Mumbai, India, were screened for Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Minimal inhibitory concentration testing was performed according to National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) guidelines. Auxotypes, serogroups, protein profile, and plasmid content were also studied.


RESULTS
Of the 33 isolates, 16 (48.5%) were resistant to penicillin, and 28 (84.8%) showed a chromosomally mediated resistance to tetracycline. Five (15.2%) isolates showed resistance to ciprofloxacin, whereas 12 (36.4%) showed a reduced susceptibility. Twenty-seven (81.8%) isolates belonged to the WI serogroup, and 15 (46.7%) were penicillinase producers (PPNG). Seventeen (51.5%) isolates were of the nonrequiring auxotype, whereas seven (21.2%) were proline requiring. Fifteen (55.6%) of the isolates belonged to the nonrequiring-WI auxotype/serogroup (A/S) class. Ten of the PPNG isolates possessed the 4.4 MDa plasmid, whereas four had the 3.2 MDa plasmid. Increases in the molecular weight of the major outer membrane protein were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
A high prevalence of chromosomal resistance to penicillin and tetracycline was observed. The 4.4 MDa plasmid was the most prevalent among the PPNG isolates. We observed ciprofloxacin resistance, which has not been reported in previous studies in India. The nonrequiring auxotype was the most prevalent, followed by the proline requiring auxotype. WI serogroup was the most commonly observed among the isolates studied. The nonrequiring/WI A/S class was the most prevalent among the PPNG.
Department of Microbiology, LTM Medical College, Sion, Mumbai, India.
A A
AA
Divekar
A S
AS
Gogate
L K
LK
Shivkar
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D002939:Ciprofloxacin / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000145:classification* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010403:Penicillin Resistance; D012703:Serotyping; D013753:Tetracycline Resistance
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D002939:Ciprofloxacin