Macrolide resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae in Hong Kong.
Erythromycin resistance rates among penicillin-susceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae were 38 and 92% among penicillin-intermediate and -resistant S. pneumoniae isolates from Hong Kong, respectively, and 27% (43 of 158) of the isolates showed the MLS(B) phenotype, and the majority carried the ermB gene; 73% (115 of 158) displayed the M phenotype, and all possessed the mef gene. The MLS(B) phenotype was predominant in penicillin-susceptible, macrolide-resistant isolates and in penicillin-nonsusceptible isolates of serotype 6B, whilst the M phenotype was predominant in penicillin-intermediate or -resistant isolates belonging to serotype 23F or 19F. Extensive spread of clones of drug-resistant pneumococci has led to the widespread presence of macrolide resistance in S. pneumoniae in Hong Kong.
Ip
M
M
Department of Microbiology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong, China. margaretip@cuhk.edu.hk
Lyon
D J
DJ
Yung
R W
RW
Chan
C
C
Cheng
A F
AF
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010406:Penicillins / Q000494:pharmacology; D010641:Phenotype; D012703:Serotyping; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010406:Penicillins; D004917:Erythromycin