Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2021 Jan 20;65(2):e00885-20.
doi: 10.1128/AAC.00885-20. Print 2021 Jan 20.

Atypical Mutation in Neisseria gonorrhoeae 23S rRNA Associated with High-Level Azithromycin Resistance

Cau D Pham  1 , Evelyn Nash  2 , Hsi Liu  2 , Matthew W Schmerer  2 , Samera Sharpe  2 , Grace Woods  2 , Brad Roland  2 , Karen Schlanger  2 , Sancta B St Cyr  2 , Jonathan Carlson  3 , Kevin Sellers  3 , Aaron Olsen  4 , Ruth Sanon  5 , Henrietta Hardin  6 , Olusegun O Soge  7 , Brian H Raphael  2 , Ellen N Kersh  2
Affiliations

Atypical Mutation in Neisseria gonorrhoeae 23S rRNA Associated with High-Level Azithromycin Resistance

Cau D Pham et al. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. .

Abstract

A2059G mutation in the 23S rRNA gene is the only reported mechanism conferring high-level azithromycin resistance (HL-AZMR) in Neisseria gonorrhoeae Through U.S. gonococcal antimicrobial resistance surveillance projects, we identified four HL-AZMR gonococcal isolates lacking this mutational genotype. Genetic analysis revealed an A2058G mutation of 23S rRNA alleles in all four isolates. In vitro selected gonococcal strains with homozygous A2058G recapitulated the HL-AZMR phenotype. Taken together, we postulate that the A2058G mutation confers HL-AZMR in N. gonorrhoeae.

Keywords: 23s rRNA; A2058G; HL-AZMR; Neisseria gonorrhoeae; antibiotic resistance; azithromycin resistant; gonorrhea.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

FIG 1
FIG 1
HL-AZMR phenotype displayed by N. gonorrhoeae harboring the A2058G mutation in the 23S rRNA. These are representative images of N. gonorrhoeae Etest assays depicting isolates with differing levels of susceptibility to AZM caused by the A2058G mutation; wild type (A), homozygous A2058G (B), and heterozygous A2058G (C). The heterozygous A2058G strains also displayed heteroresistance phenotype to AZM with macrocolonies growing inside the ellipse and along the Etest strip (arrows in panel C).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Workowski KA, Bolan GA, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2015. Sexually transmitted diseases treatment guidelines, 2015. MMWR Recomm Rep 64:1–137. https://www.cdc.gov/std/tg2015/default.htm. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Martin I, Sawatzky P, Allen V, Lefebvre B, Hoang LMN, Naidu P, Minion J, Van Caeseele P, Haldane D, Gad RR, Zahariadis G, Corriveau A, German G, Tomas K, Mulvey MR. 2019. Multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Canada, 2012–2016. Can Commun Dis Rep 45:45–53. doi:10.14745/ccdr.v45i23a01. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2019. Gonococcal Isolate Surveillance Project (GISP) profiles, 2018. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA. https://www.cdc.gov/std/stats18/Gonorrhea.htm.
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2016. Outpatient antibiotic prescriptions — United States, 2016. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA. https://www.cdc.gov/antibiotic-use/community/programs-measurement/state-....
    1. Schlunzen F, Zarivach R, Harms J, Bashan A, Tocilj A, Albrecht R, Yonath A, Franceschi F. 2001. Structural basis for the interaction of antibiotics with the peptidyl transferase centre in eubacteria. Nature 413:814–821. doi:10.1038/35101544. - DOI - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding

LinkOut - more resources