Prevalence of the ermB gene in Clostridium difficile strains isolated at a university teaching hospital from 1987 through 1998.
We analyzed 226 strains of Clostridium difficile for the presence of erythromycin ribosomal methylase B (ermB) genes. Forty-four strains (19.4%) carried ermB genes and were resistant to erythromycin. Toxin A and toxin B gene sequences were identified in 81.9% of these 44 strains. Strains of C. difficile that carry ermB genes are common etiologic agents of C. difficile-associated diarrhea.
Tang-Feldman
Yajarayma J
YJ
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious and Immunologic Diseases, University of California, Davis Health System, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA.
Henderson
Jeffrey P
JP
Ackermann
Grit
G
Feldman
Stephanie S
SS
Bedley
Maxwell
M
Silva
Joseph
J
Cohen
Stuart H
SH
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D002981:Clindamycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000382:microbiology; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004768:Enterotoxins; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D005838:Genotype; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008780:Methyltransferases / Q000235:genetics*; D010641:Phenotype; D013997:Time Factors
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004768:Enterotoxins; C041348:tcdA protein, Clostridium difficile; C031815:toxB protein, Clostridium difficile; D002981:Clindamycin; D004917:Erythromycin; D008780:Methyltransferases; C035181:rRNA (adenosine-O-2'-)methyltransferase