title: Genetic diversity of Tn916-related transposons among drug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates colonizing healthy children in Venezuela.
abstract: Among a collection of 48 multidrug-resistant pneumococcal strains colonizing healthy children in a small municipality of Mérida, Venezuela, we identified sequence types (STs) related to a variety of internationally spreading drug-resistant clones, as well as ST135, thus far isolated only in Europe. The clones invariably harbored one or more of the Tn916-related transposons Tn3872, Tn5253, Tn6002, Tn2009, and Tn2010. Finally, our data suggest both structural rearrangements in certain transposons and occurrence of novel transposable elements.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Los Andes University, Mérida, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Beatríz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Quintero
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Araque
authors.forename: Christa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: van der Gaast-de Jongh
authors.forename: Peter W M
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Hermans
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002648:Child; D003227:Conjugation, Genetic; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements / Q000235:genetics*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014687:Venezuela
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004269:DNA, Bacterial