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  • Title: Characterization of multiresistant strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolated in Nicaragua.
    Author: Castro I, Bergeron MG, Chamberland S.
    Journal: Sex Transm Dis; 1993; 20(6):314-20. PubMed ID: 8108753.
    Abstract:
    The extensive use of antibiotics in Nicaragua raises concerns about the resulting levels of susceptibility of pathogenic bacteria. This is the first study that characterizes 18 strains of N. gonorrhoeae isolated in Nicaragua (1989), for their antibiotic susceptibility. Strains were predominantly of the auxotype/serotype Proto/PIB. There was no difference in lipopolysaccharides profiles obtained after SDS-PAGE for all strains. Variable expression of the PII outer membrane protein was not associated to antimicrobial resistance. All strains were susceptible to ceftriaxone, spectinomycin, rifampin and cefoxitin. The strains were classified in five groups based on plasmid profiles. A total of 78% of the isolates were penicillinase-producing (PPNG) and 22% were tetracycline-resistant N. gonorrhoeae (TRNG). One PPNG strain showed a concomitant decreased of penicillin binding to penicillin-binding protein 2. These randomly chosen isolates of N. gonorrhoeae from Nicaragua possess high levels of resistance to multiple families of drugs. In Nicaragua, in 1989, health workers obtained urethral or cervical samples from 18 people with gonorrhea attending public health clinics in Managua and sent them to the National Laboratory of Public Health in Managua for characterization of their antibiotic susceptibility. Of the 18 strains, 15 (83.3%) were of the auxotype/serotype Proto/PIB. Electrophoresis of lipopolysaccharides on SDS-polyacrylamide gels (15%) with 4 M urea revealed no difference in lipopolysaccharide profiles for all strains. The variable expression of the 31-kDa opacity outer membrane protein was not related to antimicrobial resistance. All isolates exhibited susceptibility to ceftriaxone, spectinomycin, cefazolin, cefoxitin, and rifampin. 78% of the strains produced beta-lactamase. 89% of the strains were resistant to penicillin and ampicillin, 44% were resistant to tetracycline, 28% were resistant to cefamandol, 22% were resistant to chloramphenicol, and 11% were resistant to erythromycin. There were 5 distinct groups of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolated according to their plasmid profiles. The largest was plasmid profile group 1 (55.6%), defined as carrying the 24.5, 3.2, and 2.6 MDa plasmids. It produced beta-lactamase. Penicillinase-producing N. gonorrhoeae (PPNG) comprised 78% of the isolates, 22% of whom were tetracycline-resistant N. gonorrhoea. One PPNG strain exhibited a parallel decrease of penicillin binding to penicillin-binding protein 2. These findings confirmed the presence of multiresistant N. gonorrhoeae strains in Managua, Nicaragua. Based on these findings, the researchers recommended that penicillin and tetracycline not be used to treat gonorrhea in Nicaragua; they recommended ceftriaxone and spectinomycin.
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