Detection of erythromycin-resistant genes and mutations in Streptococcus pneumoniae

Abstract

Streptococcus pneumoniae is the common cause of acute respiratory infection, mainly in children and the older. Erythromycin is normally used for the treatment of this infection. The study aimed at detection of erythromycinresistant genes and mutations in S. pneumoniae isolates. The results showed that S. pneumoniae isolates harbored erm(A), mef(A/E), and msr(D) genes and the resistant mutations in domain II of 23S rRNA gene, domain V1-V2 of 23S rRNA gene, and in L4 ribosome gene. The presence of the mutations were accordingly related to resistance level to erythromycin of S. pneumoniae. This was the first study of this issue in Vietnam.