Molecular typing of Mycoplasma pneumoniae and its correlation with macrolide resistance in children in Henan of China.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: As a major causative pathogen of community-acquired pneumonia, Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae) can cause both upper and lower respiratory tract inflammation as well as extrapulmonary syndromes, especially in infants and the elderly. The emergence of macrolide-resistance has significant effects on the treatment of relevant diseases in children. This study aimed to analyze the genotypes and the macrolide resistance-associated mutations in M. pneumoniae sampled from the pediatric patients in Henan, China.

METHODS

A segment of gene on the 23S rRNA was amplified and sequenced to detect the mutations related to macrolide resistance. Molecular typing was performed by the method named multiple locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) for macrolide-susceptible and macrolide-resistant specimens.

RESULTS

Among the M. pneumoniae-positive samples, 95.7% (111/116) had macrolide-resistant mutation, and all of them consisted of the A2063G mutation. There were only two MLVA types identified in this study, type 4-5-7-2 (51/92, 55.4%) and type 3-5-6-2 (41/92, 44.6%).

CONCLUSION

There was no correlation between MLVA types and macrolide resistance (P ​> ​0.05).