Whole-genome sequence analysis of high-level penicillin-resistant strains and antimicrobial susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae clinical isolates from Thailand
Issued Date
2022-07-01
Resource Type
eISSN
19326203
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85135419336
Pubmed ID
35905043
Journal Title
PLoS ONE
Volume
17
Issue
7 July
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
PLoS ONE Vol.17 No.7 July (2022)
Suggested Citation
Nokchan N., Wongsurawat T., Jenjaroenpun P., Nitayanon P., Tribuddharat C. Whole-genome sequence analysis of high-level penicillin-resistant strains and antimicrobial susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae clinical isolates from Thailand. PLoS ONE Vol.17 No.7 July (2022). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0271657 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/86496
Title
Whole-genome sequence analysis of high-level penicillin-resistant strains and antimicrobial susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae clinical isolates from Thailand
Author's Affiliation
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Background The increasing rate of antimicrobial-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae poses a considerable public health threat due to the difficulty in treating gonococcal infections. This study examined antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to drugs recommended for gonorrhea treatment between 2015 and 2017, and the AMR determinants and genetic compositions of plasmids in 3 gonococcal strains with high-level penicillin resistance. Methods We collected 117 N. gonorrhoeae isolates from patients with gonococcal infections who attended Siriraj Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand, between 2015 and 2017. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of penicillin, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, azithromycin, spectinomycin, cefixime, and ceftriaxone were determined by the agar dilution method. PCR amplification and sequencing of 23S rRNA and mtrR (a negative regulator of MtrCDE efflux pump) were performed. Whole genomes of 3 PPNG strains with high-level penicillin resistance (MIC ≥ 128 μg/ml) were sequenced using Illumina and Nanopore sequencing platforms. Results The proportions of N. gonorrhoeae isolates with resistance were 84.6% for penicillin, 91.5% for tetracycline, and 96.6% for ciprofloxacin. All isolates were susceptible to spectinomycin, azithromycin, cefixime, and ceftriaxone. An adenine deletion within a 13 bp inverted repeat sequence in the mtrR promoter and an H105Y mutation in the mtrR coding region were found in the N. gonorrhoeae isolate with the highest azithromycin MIC value (1 μg/ml). Three high-level penicillin-resistant isolates contained nonmosaic type II penA and had mutations in penB and the mtrR coding region. All isolates with high-level penicillin resistance carried the conjugative plasmids with or without the Dutch type tetM determinant, the beta-lactamase plasmid (Rio/Toronto), and the cryptic plasmid. Conclusions The gonococcal population in Thailand showed high susceptibility to ceftriaxone and azithromycin, current dual therapy recommended for gonorrhea treatment. As elevated MIC of azithromycin has been observed in 1 strain of N. gonorrhoeae, expanded and enhanced surveillance of antimicrobial susceptibility and study of genetic resistance determinants are essential to improve treatment guidelines.