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Human enterococcal isolates as reservoirs for macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin and other resistance genes

The Journal of Antibiotics volume 75, pages 396–402 (2022)Cite this article

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Abstract

According to recent studies, the importance of MLS (macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin) resistance phenotypes and genes in enterococci are reflected in the fact that they represent reservoirs of MLS resistance genes. The aim of this study was to investigate distribution of MLS resistance genes and phenotypes in community- and hospital-acquired enterococcal isolates and to determine their prevalence. The MLS resistance phenotypes (cMLSb, iMLSb, M/MSb, and L/LSa) were determined in 245 enterococcal isolates were characterized using the double-disc diffusion method. Specific primers were chosen from database sequences for detection of the MLS resistance genes (ermA, ermB, ermC, msrA/B, lnuA, lnuB, and lsaA) in 60 isolates of enterococci by end-point PCR. There was no linezolid-resistant enterococcal isolate. Only one vancomycin-resistant (0.6%) isolate was found and it occurred in a community-acquired enterococcal isolate. The most frequent MLS resistance phenotype among enterococcal isolates was cMLSb (79.7% community- and 67.9% hospital-acquired). The most common identified MLS resistance genes among enterococcal isolates were lsaA (52.9% community- and 33.3% hospital-acquired) and ermB (17.6% community- and 33.3% hospital-acquired). The most prevalent MLS gene combination was lnuA + lsaA (five enterococcal isolates). The ermB gene encoded cMLSb phenotype, and it was identified in only one isolate that displayed iMLSb resistance phenotype. Based on the results obtained, we can conclude that the most frequent MLS resistance phenotype among enterococcal isolates was cMLSb. Surprisingly, a vancomycin-resistant enterococcal isolate was identified in a community-acquired enterococcal isolate. This study shows that enterococci may represent a major reservoir of ermB, lsaA, and lnuA genes.

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Funding

This research was funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Republic of Serbia under Grant Number III41010.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, Public Health Institute Vranje, Vranje, Serbia

    Milena Mišić

  2. Center for Microbiology, Institute for Public Health Niš, Niš, Serbia

    Branislava Kocić

  3. Faculty of Medicine, University of Niš, Niš, Serbia

    Branislava Kocić

  4. Institute of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Priština, Kosovska Mitrovica, Serbia

    Aleksandra Arsović

  5. Department of Clinical Microbiology, Laboratory for Virology, Serology, Immunology and Molecular diagnostics, Public Health Institute Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia

    Jelena Čukić

  6. Department of Laboratory Diagnostics, National Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza and Newcastle disease of poultry Republic of Serbia, Veterinary Specialized Institute Kraljevo, Kraljevo, Serbia

    Dejan Vidanović & Milanko Šekler

  7. Center for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia

    Dejan Baskić

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Mišić, M., Kocić, B., Arsović, A. et al. Human enterococcal isolates as reservoirs for macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin and other resistance genes. J Antibiot 75, 396–402 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41429-022-00532-8

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