Specific multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis genotypes of Mycoplasma pneumoniae are associated with diseases severity and macrolide susceptibility

PLoS One. 2013 Dec 18;8(12):e82174. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0082174. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

Clinical relevance of multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat (VNTR) analysis (MLVA) in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) by Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae) is unknown. A multi-center, prospective study was conducted from November 2010 to April 2012. Nine hundred and fifty-four CAP patients were consecutively enrolled. M. pneumoniae clinical isolates were obtained from throat swabs. MLVA typing was applied to all isolates. Comparison of pneumonia severity index (PSI) and clinical features among patients infected with different MLVA types of M. pneumoniae were conducted. One hundred and thirty-six patients were positive with M. pneumoniae culture. The clinical isolates were clustered into 18 MLVA types. One hundred and fourteen (88.3%) isolates were resistant to macrolide, covering major MLVA types. The macrolide non-resistant rate of M. pneumoniae isolates with Mpn13-14-15-16 profile of 3-5-6-2 was significantly higher than that of other types (p ≤ 0.001). Patients infected with types U (5-4-5-7-2) and J (3-4-5-7-2) had significantly higher PSI scores (p<0.001) and longer total duration of cough (p = 0.011). Therefore it seems that there is a correlation between certain MLVA types and clinical severity of disease and the presence of macrolide resistance.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Female
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Macrolides / pharmacology*
  • Male
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Middle Aged
  • Minisatellite Repeats / genetics*
  • Mycoplasma pneumoniae / drug effects*
  • Mycoplasma pneumoniae / genetics*
  • Mycoplasma pneumoniae / pathogenicity
  • Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / microbiology*
  • Prospective Studies
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Macrolides

Grants and funding

This work was supported by a program for New Century Excellent Talents in University (NCET-10-0006), a grant from Chinese Respiratory Tract Infection Optimal Treatment Committee (CROTC-2009040), a grant from the Beijing Science and Technology Project (D101100049810002) and a grant from Beijing Municipal Health Bureau (2011-1004-02). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.