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Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, September 2004, p. 3451-3456, Vol. 48, No. 9
0066-4804/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AAC.48.9.3451-3456.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

The mef(A) Gene Predominates among Seven Macrolide Resistance Genes Identified in Gram-Negative Strains Representing 13 Genera, Isolated from Healthy Portuguese Children

K. K. Ojo,1 C. Ulep,1 N. Van Kirk,1 H. Luis,2 M. Bernardo,2 J. Leitao,2 and M. C. Roberts1*

Department of Pathobiology, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington,1 University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal2

Received 10 December 2003/ Returned for modification 21 March 2004/ Accepted 8 May 2004

Of the 176 randomly selected, commensal, gram-negative bacteria isolated from healthy children with low exposure to antibiotics, 138 (78%) carried one or more of the seven macrolide resistance genes tested in this study. These isolates included 79 (91%) isolates from the oral cavity and 59 (66%) isolates from urine samples. The mef(A) gene, coding for an efflux protein, was found in 73 isolates (41%) and was the most frequently carried gene. The mef(A) gene could be transferred from the donors into a gram-positive E. faecalis recipient and a gram-negative Escherichia coli recipient. The erm(B) gene transferred and was maintained in the E. coli transconjugants but was found in 0 to 100% of the E. faecalis transconjugants tested, while the other five genes could be transferred only into the E. coli recipient. The individual macrolide resistance genes were identified in 3 to 12 new genera. Eight (10%) of the oral isolates and 30 (34%) of the urine isolates for which the MICs were 2 to >500 µg of erythromycin per ml did not hybridize with any of the seven genes and may carry novel macrolide resistance genes.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Pathobiology, Box 357238, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195. Phone: (206) 543-8001. Fax: (206) 543-4873. E-mail: marilynr{at}u.washington.edu.

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, September 2004, p. 3451-3456, Vol. 48, No. 9
0066-4804/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AAC.48.9.3451-3456.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Liu, J., Keelan, P., Bennett, P. M., Enne, V. I. (2009). Characterization of a novel macrolide efflux gene, mef(B), found linked to sul3 in porcine Escherichia coli. J Antimicrob Chemother 63: 423-426 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Soge, O. O., Adeniyi, B. A., Roberts, M. C. (2006). New antibiotic resistance genes associated with CTX-M plasmids from uropathogenic Nigerian Klebsiella pneumoniae. J Antimicrob Chemother 58: 1048-1053 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Ojo, K. K., Ruehlen, N. L., Close, N. S., Luis, H., Bernardo, M., Leitao, J., Roberts, M. C. (2006). The presence of a conjugative Gram-positive Tn2009 in Gram-negative commensal bacteria. J Antimicrob Chemother 57: 1065-1069 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Ojo, K. K., Striplin, M. J., Ulep, C. C., Close, N. S., Zittle, J., Luis, H., Bernardo, M., Leitao, J., Roberts, M. C. (2006). Staphylococcus Efflux msr(A) Gene Characterized in Streptococcus, Enterococcus, Corynebacterium, and Pseudomonas Isolates. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 50: 1089-1091 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Poole, K. (2005). Efflux-mediated antimicrobial resistance. J Antimicrob Chemother 56: 20-51 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


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