title: Prevalence and molecular genetics of macrolide resistance among Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates collected in Finland in 2002.
abstract: The prevalence and mechanisms of macrolide resistance among 1,007 clinical pneumococcal isolates collected in Finland were investigated. Of these, 217 (21.5%) were resistant to erythromycin and 11% to clindamycin. Among the erythromycin-resistant isolates, mef(E) was present in 95 isolates (44%), mef(A) was present in 12 isolates (6%), and erm(B) was present in 90 isolates (41%). A double mechanism, mef(E) and erm(B), was detected in five isolates (2%). Ribosomal mutation was detected in 14 (6%) macrolide-resistant isolates in which no other determinant was found. Based on the telithromycin MICs, two groups of isolates were formed: 83.3% of the isolates belonged to a major group for which the telithromycin MIC range was < or =0.008 to 0.063 microg/ml, and 16.7% belonged to a minor group for which the telithromycin MIC range was 0.125 to 8 microg/ml. All except three isolates in the minor population carried a macrolide resistance gene.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology and Inflammation, National Public Health Institute, Turku, Finland. merja.rantala@ktl.fi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rantala
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Huikko
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Huovinen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jalava
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D018942:Macrolides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008967:Molecular Biology; D009154:Mutation; D015995:Prevalence; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D018942:Macrolides; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal