Objectives: Several Elizabethkingia species often exhibit extensive antibiotic resistance, causing infections associated with severe morbidity and high mortality rates worldwide. In this study, we determined fluoroquinolone susceptibility profiles of clinical Elizabethkingia spp. isolates and investigated the resistance mechanisms.
Methods: In 2017-2018, 131 Elizabethkingia spp. isolates were recovered from specimens collected at tertiary care centers in northern Taiwan. Initial species identification using the Vitek MS system and subsequent verification by 16S rRNA sequencing confirmed the presence of Elizabethkingia anophelis (n = 111), E. miricola (n = 11), and E. meningoseptica (n = 9). Fluoroquinolone susceptibility was determined using the microbroth dilution method, and fluoroquinolone resistance genes were analyzed by sequencing.
Results: Among Elizabethkingia spp. isolates, 91% and 77% were resistant to ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin, respectively. The most prevalent alterations were two single mutations in GyrA, Ser83Ile, and Ser83Arg, detected in 76% of the isolates exhibiting fluoroquinolone MIC between 8 and 128 μg/ml. Another GyrA single mutation, Asp87Asn, was identified in two quinolone-resistant E. miricola strains. None of the isolates had alterations in GyrB, ParC, or ParE. We developed a high-resolution melting assay for rapid identification of the prevalent gyrA gene mutations. The genetic relationship between the isolates was evaluated by random amplified polymorphic DNA PCR that yielded diverse pulsotypes, indicating the absence of any temporal or spatial overlap among the patients during hospitalization.
Conclusion: Our analysis of fluoroquinolone-resistant Elizabethkingia spp. isolates provides information for further research on the variations of the resistance mechanism and potential clinical guidance for infection management.
Keywords: Elizabethkingia spp.; Fluoroquinolone resistance; High-resolution melting; Molecular typing; gyrA.