High-frequency of quinolone-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Austria with a common pattern of triple mutations in GyrA and ParC genes.
OBJECTIVE
Quinolones have a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity and are widely used for the treatment of uncomplicated Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections. A dramatic increase in the number of reported N. gonorrhoeae infections as well as quinolone-resistant isolates in Vienna prompted us to investigate the pattern of mutations in these isolates.


OBJECTIVE
The goal of this study was to investigate the pattern of mutations in GyrA and ParC genes in quinolone-resistant N. gonorrhoeae clinical isolates in Vienna from 1999 to 2002.


METHODS
The antibiotic susceptibility of N. gonorrhoeae clinical isolates and point mutations of the GyrA and ParC genes of 104 clinical isolates were analyzed.


RESULTS
Quinolone-resistant N. gonorrhoeae isolates increased from 3.9% (3 of 77) in 1999 to 59.4% (120 of 202) in 2002. As expected, none of the 46 N. gonorrhoeae quinolone-sensitive strains showed mutations at these positions of GyrA and ParC genes with the exception of 1 isolate, which had a single mutation at GyrA 91. Unlike what has been previously reported for other geographic areas, 96.6% (56 of 58) of the quinolone-resistant isolates harbored common triple mutations at Gyr 91, 95, and ParC 86. The majority of these isolates (76.8%) belong to the PPNG phenotype.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data indicate that the pattern of mutations in GyrA and ParC subunits of N. gonorrhoeae in Austria differs from that reported from other geographic areas. The differences may either be the result of the difference in bacterial subtypes or various antibiotic regimens used in these regions.
Uthman
Aumaid
A
Ludwig Boltzmann-Institute for Investigation of Infectious Venerodermatological Diseases, Vienna, Austria.
Heller-Vitouch
Claudia
C
Stary
Angelika
A
Bilina
Anette
A
Kuchinka-Koch
Angelika
A
Söltz-Szöts
Josef
J
Tschachler
Erwin
E
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D027081:DNA Gyrase / Q000235:genetics; D027101:DNA Topoisomerase IV / Q000235:genetics; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D015363:Quinolones / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D015363:Quinolones; D027101:DNA Topoisomerase IV; D027081:DNA Gyrase