Macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B resistance phenotypes and their associated genotypes in Staphylococcus aureus isolates from a tertiary level public hospital of Uruguay

Abstract

This study was undertaken to investigate the resistance phenotypes to macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B (MLS_B) antibiotics and their associated genotypes in isolates of Staphylococcus aureus. We analyzed one hundred, consecutive, non-duplicate isolates (methicillin-susceptible MSSA, n=53 and methicillin-resistant MRSA, n=47) obtained from various clinical samples between July 2012 to December 2013. The resistance profile to MLS_B antibiotics was determined by phenotypic methods and the resistance genes were detected by PCR assays. All of the isolates were subjected to pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (SmaI-PFGE). The overall prevalence of resistance to MLS_B antibiotics was 38% and the resistance phenotype distribution was as follows: cMLS_B, 22%; iMLS_B, 10%; MS_B, 5% and L, 1%. We detected ermA, ermC, ermB and mrsA/B genes in these resistant isolates. The single ermA gene was commonly observed mainly in those with a cMLS_B R phenotype, whereas the combination ermA and ermC was more commonly observed in isolates with inducible expression. The patterns of SmaI-PFGE suggest a great genetic diversity in both MRSA and MSSA resistant to MLS_B antibiotics. The results demonstrate the local presence of S. aureus resistant to MLS_B antibiotics and its most frequently described responsible genes. Some of these isolates, especially those with the iMLS_B phenotype, may be associated with therapeutic failure. Therefore, efforts should be directed to the correct detection of all MLS_B resistant isolates using appropriate laboratory tests. PFGE results reveal a wide spread of resistance genes rather than the circulation of S. aureus clones resistant to MLS_B antibiotics.