Molecular characterization of penicillin non-susceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae in Christchurch, New Zealand.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the epidemiological relationship between non-invasive penicillin non-susceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates collected in the Christchurch community between 1997 and 2001.


METHODS
One hundred and ninety-seven pneumococcal isolates were examined by macrorestriction profile analysis of SmaI-digested genomic DNA separated by PFGE and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of penicillin binding protein genes.


RESULTS
Four major clonal lineages were identified, the largest and most homogeneous containing 95 (48.2%) of the isolates, the bulk of which (93.7%), had identical macrorestriction patterns. Members of this clonal group were multidrug-resistant and exhibited high resistance to third-generation cephalosporins, with MICs > or =8.0 mg/L not uncommon (23.1%). Two of the clonal groups, each containing 24 (12.2%) isolates, appeared indistinguishable from the globally widespread Spain23F-1 and France9V-3 strains, respectively. The fourth (12.7% of isolates) multidrug-resistant clone possessed intermediate penicillin susceptibility (MIC 0.12 mg/L).


CONCLUSIONS
This study shows that several distinct penicillin-resistant pneumococcal clones are present in the Christchurch community, most of which appear to have been imported into New Zealand.
Bean
David C
DC
Centre for Infectious Disease, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary College, University of London, London E1 2AD, UK. d.c.bean@qmul.ac.uk
Ikram
Rosemary B
RB
Klena
John D
JD
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015252:Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific / Q000235:genetics; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D005260:Female; D006602:Hexosyltransferases / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D005810:Multigene Family / Q000235:genetics; D002267:Muramoylpentapeptide Carboxypeptidase / Q000235:genetics; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D010403:Penicillin Resistance / Q000235:genetics*; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D010406:Penicillins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010458:Peptidyl Transferases / Q000235:genetics; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics*
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D010406:Penicillins; D010458:Peptidyl Transferases; D006602:Hexosyltransferases; C025651:CCCGGG-specific type II deoxyribonucleases; D015252:Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific; D002267:Muramoylpentapeptide Carboxypeptidase