Genetic environment of the lnu(B) gene in a Streptococcus agalactiae clinical isolate

MONTILLA PIEDRAHITA A; ZAVALA A; CACERES R; CITTADINI R; VAY C; GUTKIND G; FAMIGLIETTI A; BONOFIGLIO L; MOLLERACH M

ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY

AMER SOC MICROBIOLOGY

Lugar: Washington; Año: 2014 vol. 58 p. 5636 - 5637

0066-4804

A novel lnu(B)-carrying element of ~12 kb was identified in Streptococcus agalactiae strain isolated from a vaginal swab. The genetic environment in which lnu(B) is located showed similarity to different elements identified in lincosamide resistant Staphylococcous aureus and Enterococcus faecalis. The new element harbored the IS1216 and a transposase gene of the ISL3 family. This is the first report of lnu(B) platform architecture in S. agalactiae. Awareness of the emergence of this mechanism is required as clindamycin resistance may be misidentified in strains with the L phenotype if only erythromycin is tested. The spread to other GBS strains and also to other streptococcal or staphylococcal species should be regarded as a major cause of concern, as ?homing? in intestinal bacteria has been demonstrated to be a way for providing resistance determinants finally incorporated to the pathogenic bacteria.