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Nosocomial spread of multidrug-resistant group B streptococci with reduced penicillin susceptibility belonging to clonal complex 1.

BACKGROUND
Multiple group B Streptococcus (GBS) isolates with reduced penicillin susceptibility (PRGBS) were recovered from several patients, hence a probable nosocomial transmission of PRGBS in a hospital setting was suspected.


METHODS
Ten PRGBS recovered from eight patients in a general hospital were characterized. Sequence analysis of genes for penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) and quinolone resistance-determining regions (QRDRs) of gyrA, gyrB and parC was performed, and the macrolide resistance genes were detected by PCR. Genetic relatedness among the isolates was examined by PFGE and multilocus sequence typing.


RESULTS
All the PRGBS had the key amino acid substitution V405A, together with F395L, R433H, H438Y and G648A in PBP 2X and T567I in PBP 2B. A 23S rRNA methylase gene, erm(B), was also found in all 10 PRGBS strains. PFGE analysis revealed considerable genetic relatedness among the isolates. Isolates of pulsotype I were obtained from four patients in ward A and one patient in ward B, while isolates of pulsotypes II and III were obtained from two patients in ward B and one patient in ward C, respectively. Isolates of pulsotype I were resistant to levofloxacin (MIC >8 mg/L) and had the following amino acid substitutions in the QRDRs: S81L in GyrA, E476K in GyrB and S79Y in ParC. However, pulsotype II strains resistant to levofloxacin (MIC 8 mg/L) had no change in GyrA, but changes in GyrB (E476K) and ParC (S79Y). All 10 PRGBS strains belonged to serotype VI and ST458 (where ST stands for sequence type).


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first description of the nosocomial spread of multidrug-resistant PRGBS strains belonging to the genetic lineage ST458.