Phenotypes and genotypes of erythromycin-resistant pneumococci in Italy.
Of 120 erythromycin-resistant pneumococci isolated in Italian hospitals, 39 (32.5%) were M-type isolates, carrying the mef gene alone. The mef gene was also detected, together with erm(AM), in one constitutively resistant isolate and in five isolates of the partially inducible phenotype. Among the 45 mef-positive isolates, 25 (55.6%) carried mef(A) and 20 (44.4%) carried mef(E) as observed from PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of a 1,743-bp amplicon. The same result was obtained by a similar method applied to a more common 348-bp amplicon.
Montanari
Maria Pia
MP
Department of Microbiology and Biomedical Sciences, University of Ancona Medical School, 60131 Ancona, Italy.
Mingoia
Marina
M
Cochetti
Ileana
I
Varaldo
Pietro Emanuele
PE
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001692:Biological Transport; D004351:Drug Resistance / Q000235:genetics*; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005838:Genotype; D007558:Italy; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D010641:Phenotype; D012703:Serotyping; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C117866:MefA protein, Streptococcus; C431304:MefE protein, Streptococcus pneumoniae; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D004917:Erythromycin