Genetic Mechanisms behind the Spread of Reduced Susceptibility to Azithromycin in Shigella Strains Isolated from Men Who Have Sex with Men in Québec, Canada

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2019 Jan 29;63(2):e01679-18. doi: 10.1128/AAC.01679-18. Print 2019 Feb.

Abstract

We analyzed 254 Shigella species isolates collected in Québec, Canada, during 2013 and 2014. Overall, 23.6% of isolates showed reduced susceptibility to azithromycin (RSA) encoded by mphA (11.6%), ermB (1.7%), or both genes (86.7%). Shigella strains with RSA were mostly isolated from men who have sex with men (68.8% or higher) from the Montreal region. A complete sequence analysis of six selected plasmids from Shigella sonnei and different serotypes of Shigella flexneri emphasized the role of IS26 in the dissemination of RSA.

Keywords: IS26 insertion sequence; Shigella spp.; plasmid diversity; reduced susceptibility to azithromycin.

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Azithromycin / pharmacology*
  • Canada
  • Homosexuality, Male / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Quebec
  • Shigella / drug effects*
  • Shigella / pathogenicity*
  • Shigella flexneri / drug effects
  • Shigella flexneri / pathogenicity
  • Shigella sonnei / drug effects
  • Shigella sonnei / pathogenicity

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Azithromycin