Neisseria gonorrhoeae strain with high-level resistance to spectinomycin due to a novel resistance mechanism (mutated ribosomal protein S5) verified in Norway

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2013 Feb;57(2):1057-61. doi: 10.1128/AAC.01775-12. Epub 2012 Nov 26.

Abstract

Gonorrhea may become untreatable, and new treatment options are essential. Verified resistance to spectinomycin is exceedingly rare. However, we describe a high-level spectinomycin-resistant (MIC, >1,024 μg/ml) Neisseria gonorrhoeae strain from Norway with a novel resistance mechanism. The resistance determinant was a deletion of codon 27 (valine) and a K28E alteration in the ribosomal protein 5S. The traditional spectinomycin resistance gene (16S rRNA) was wild type. Despite this exceedingly rare finding, spectinomycin available for treatment of ceftriaxone-resistant urogenital gonorrhea would be very valuable.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Base Sequence
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial / genetics
  • Gonorrhea / drug therapy
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Neisseria gonorrhoeae / classification
  • Neisseria gonorrhoeae / drug effects*
  • Neisseria gonorrhoeae / genetics*
  • Norway
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics
  • Ribosomal Proteins / genetics*
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Spectinomycin / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
  • Ribosomal Proteins
  • ribosomal protein S5
  • Spectinomycin

Associated data

  • GENBANK/KC311362