title: Penicillin susceptibility of non-serotypeable Streptococcus pneumoniae from ophthalmic specimens.
abstract: Nontypeable (NT) Streptococcus pneumoniae strains isolated from eyes were examined for both penicillin susceptibility by E-test and penicillin-binding protein (PBP) gene alterations using PCR. Of the 25 ophthalmic isolates, 15 proved to be sensitive (PSSP, MIC < or = 0.06 microg/ml) and 10 were shown as intermediately resistant to penicillin (PISP, MIC = 0.1-1 microg/ml). No penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae (PRSP, MIC > or = 2 microg/ml) were found. PBP gene (pbp1a and pbp2b) alteration PCR indicated that 12 (80.0%) of the 15 ophthalmic PSSPs had unaltered pbp genes and that 3 (20.0%) had alterations in either pbp1a or pbp2b, whereas 8 (80.0%) of the 10 PISPs had unaltered pbp genes and 2 (20.0%) had alterations in both pbp1a and pbp2b. These data suggest that penicillin resistance is spread among NT pneumococci typically associated with ophthalmic infections.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Fumiko
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kojima
authors.forename: Yoshiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakagami
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takemori
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iwatani
authors.forename: Shuji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003234:Conjunctivitis, Bacterial / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010403:Penicillin Resistance; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D010406:Penicillins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012703:Serotyping; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D010406:Penicillins