Emergencia de Streptococcus agalactiae con resistencia de alto nivel a gentamicina y  streptomicina en Buenos Aires, Argentina                                
 

Introducción. Streptococcus agalactiae es responsable de infecciones en neonatos, gestantes, puérperas y adultos con enfermedad de base predisponente. En infecciones con riesgo de vida se recomienda la penicilina (PEN) o ampicilina en combinación con gentamicina (GEN). La resistencia de alto nivel (RAN) a los aminoglucósidos se asocia a una pérdida del efecto sinérgico bactericida de la combinación con un betalactámico. El objetivo de nuestro trabajo fue determinar la prevalencia de RAN a GEN y estreptomicina (EST) y establecer la utilidad de los discos de alta carga y las placas de corte para su detección.
Métodos. El estudio se realizó con 141 cepas únicas de S. agalactiae aisladas de muestras vaginales o rectales de embarazadas a término. Se determinó la concentración mínima inhibitoria (CMI) a GEN y EST con el método Etest y se obtuvo el halo de inhibición con discos de GEN 120 μg y EST 300 μg. Se utilizaron placas de corte con GEN 100 mg/L, GEN 500 mg/L y EST 2000 mg/L para detectar la RAN.
Resultados. La prevalencia de RAN fue 13,5% a GEN, 16,3% a EST y del 7,8% en forma simultánea. Las cepas con ausencia de halos en el disco de alta carga de GEN y EST tuvieron una CMI ≥512 mg/L y ≥1024 mg/L. Las cepas con halos ≥ 13 mm a GEN y EST mostraron una CMI ≤64 mg/L y ≤ 512 mg/L respectivamente. En estos aislamientos las placas de corte fueron negativas. La RAN a aminoglucósidos se asoció (83,9%) con resistencia a eritromicina y/o clindamicina.
Conclusiones. Destacamos la emergencia de cepas con RAN a los aminoglucósidos. El empleo de discos de alta carga y placas de corte de manera similar a Enterococcus spp. es una estrategia sencilla y aplicable a S. agalactiae.

Introduction. Streptococcus agalactiae has become recognized as a cause of serious illness in newborns, pregnant women, and adults with chronic medical conditions. Optimal antimicrobial therapy for serious infections requires the use of synergistic combinations of a cell wall-active agent, such as a penicillin, with an aminoglycoside, which results in bactericidal activity against this organism. The synergistic effect is eliminated by the acquisition of high-level resistance (HLR) to aminoglycosides. The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of HLR to gentamicin (GEN) and streptomycin (EST). The ability to detect HLR using a standard agar screen plate and high-content discs was investigated.
Methods. This study was conducted with 141 strains of S. agalactiae isolated from vaginal and rectal swabs of pregnant women at term. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) to GEN and STR were determined by the E-test method. Disks of GEN (120 μg) and STR (300 μg) were used to detect HLR. Agar screening plates were performed with GEN 100 mg/L, GEN 500 mg/L and STR 2000 mg/L.
Results. The HLR to GEN and STR was detected in 13.5% and 16.3% of the isolates respectively. Among 141 strains, 7.8% were simultaneously resistant to GEN and STR. With 120-μg GEN and 300-μg STR disks, strains for which MICs were ≥512 mg/L and ≥1024 mg/L had no zones of inhibition. Isolates with inhibitory zones for GEN and STR of ≥13 mm showed a MICs ≤64 mg/L and ≤512 mg/L. All the screening plates were negative for these isolates. HLR to aminoglycosides was associated (83.9%) with resistance to erythromycin and/or clindamycin.
Conclusions. This study highlights the emergence of strains with HLR to aminoglycosides. The disk-agar diffusion test performed with high-content aminoglycoside disks and screening plates can provide laboratories with a convenient and reliable method for detecting S. agalactiae isolates that are resistant to aminoglycoside-betalactam synergy.