Association Between Pneumococcal Surface Protein A Family and Genetic/Antimicrobial Resistance Traits of Non-Invasive Pneumococcal Isolates from Adults in Northern Japan

Clonal lineages and antimicrobial resistance of nonencapsulated Streptococcus pneumoniae in the post-pneumococcal conjugate vaccine era in Japan

OBJECTIVES

The emergence and spread of nonencapsulated Streptococcus pneumoniae (NESp) is a public health concern in the post-pneumococcal conjugate vaccine era. We analyzed the prevalence, molecular characteristics, and antimicrobial resistance of NESp responsible for noninvasive infections in northern Japan.

METHODS

NESp isolates were identified using molecular and phenotypical methods among 4463 S. pneumoniae isolates from noninvasive infection cases during 4 study periods between January 2011 and January 2019. NESp isolates were analyzed for antimicrobial susceptibility, genotype, and virulence-associated genes.

RESULTS

Seventy-one NESp isolates were identified (1.6% of total clinical isolates) and assigned to the null capsule clade (NCC)1 (pspK+) (94.4%) or NCC2 (aliC+/aliD+) (5.6%). The dominant sequence types (STs) were ST7502 (23.9%), ST4845 (19.7%), ST16214 (11.3%), ST11379 (9.9%), and ST7786 (7.0%). These 5 dominant STs and all 7 novel STs were related to the sporadic NESp lineage ST1106 or PMEN clone Denmark¹⁴-ST230. High non-susceptibility rates of NESp were observed for trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, erythromycin, and tetracycline (>92.9%), and multidrug resistance was observed in 88.7% of the NESp isolates, including all ST7502, ST4845, and ST11379 isolates.

CONCLUSIONS

The study revealed that the dominant clonal groups of NESp were associated with a high prevalence of non-susceptibility to antimicrobials in northern Japan.

PspA Diversity, Serotype Distribution and Antimicrobial Resistance of Invasive Pneumococcal Isolates from Paediatric Patients in Shenzhen, China

Introduction

To determine the phenotypes and genotypes of invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae), 108 strains were isolated from paediatric patients with invasive pneumococcal diseases (IPDs) in Shenzhen from 2014 to 2018.

Methods

Serotype profiles were defined by multiplex PCR of the capsule gene. Pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA) classification was performed through pspA gene sequencing. Antimicrobial resistance was examined by broth microdilution. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was determined based on next-generation sequencing data.

Results

Eighty-one S. pneumoniae of 17 serotypes were finally collected. The coverage of the 13-conjugated polysaccharide vaccine (PCV13) was 88.9%. After the introduction of PCV13, the nonvaccine serotypes were added by serotypes 15b, 16F and 20. Vaccine serotype 3 increased by four serious cases. The pspA family 1 and pspA family 2 are predominant. The multiple drug resistance rate is 91.3%. None of the nonmeningitis isolates were resistant to penicillin, while 98.8% of all the isolates were resistant to erythromycin.

Discussion

This work characterizes the molecular epidemiology of invasive S. pneumoniae in Shenzhen. Continued surveillance of serotype distribution and antimicrobial susceptibility is necessary to alert antibiotic-resistant nonvaccine serotypes and highly virulent serotypes.

High prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in non-vaccine serotypes of non-invasive/colonization isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae: A cross-sectional study eight years after the licensure of conjugate vaccine in Japan

BACKGROUND

Multidrug resistance (MDR) in non-vaccine serotypes (NVTs)-Streptococcus pneumoniae is a global public health concern after the widespread use of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs). The present study aimed to analyze the prevalence of serotypes and antimicrobial susceptibilities of non-invasive/colonization isolates of S. pneumoniae eight years after the introduction of PCV in Japan.

METHODS

A total of 545 non-invasive pneumococcal isolates (460 children, 85 adults) obtained from July 2018 to January 2019 were studied. All isolates were tested for susceptibility to ten antimicrobials and were characterized for serotypes, penicillin binding protein (PBP) genotypes, and macrolide resistance genes.

RESULTS

Among children, 95.0% of isolates belonged to non-13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) serotypes (NVTs), with 15A (15.0%) being dominant, followed by 35B (12.2%), 23A (11.1%), 15B (9.8%), and 15C (9.6%). In contrast, serotype 3 (18.8%) was the most prevalent in adults, while 15A, 10A, and 23A were also common. Serotypes covered by PCV13 and 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) in all the adult isolates were 25.9% and 48.2%, respectively. High resistance rates were observed against erythromycin, tetracycline, and clindamycin (≥62.4% children, ≥58.8% adults). Penicillin-resistant and penicillin-intermediate isolates represented 2.2% and 33.8% of all isolates, respectively. Most isolates of the three dominant NVTs 15A, 35B, and 23A were non-susceptible to penicillin. Overall, multiple drug resistance (MDR) was detected in 69.0% of all isolates, including dominant NVTs 15A, 35B, 23A, 15B, and 15C. Among all the isolates, 81.8% harbored at least one altered PBP genes, and erm(B), mef(A/E) and both these genes were found in 68.2%, 23.3%, and 6.8%, respectively. High prevalence (>90%) of erm(B) was observed in serogroup 15, and serotypes 23A, 33F, and 12F.

CONCLUSION

The present study revealed the high prevalence of NVTs 15 and 23A, and 35B showing MDR, suggesting their spread after introduction of routine PCV immunization.

Prevalence of Various Vaccine Candidate Proteins in Clinical Isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae: Characterization of the Novel Pht Fusion Proteins PhtA/B and PhtA/D

Pneumococcal proteins unrelated to serotypes are considered to be candidates of antigens in next-generation vaccines. In the present study, the prevalence of vaccine candidate protein genes, along with serotypes and antimicrobial resistance determinants, was investigated in a total of 57 isolates obtained from a tertiary care hospital in Japan. All of the pediatric isolates and 76.6% of the adult isolates did not belong to PCV13 (a 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine) serotypes, and 70.2% of all isolates showed multidrug resistance. All of the isolates had ply, pavA, nanA, and nanB, and high prevalence was noted for the pspA and pspC genes (96.5% and 78.9%, respectively). Detection rates for the pneumococcal histidine triad protein (Pht) genes phtA, phtB, phtD, and phtE were 49.1%, 26.3%, 61.4%, and 100%, respectively. Two fusion-type genes, phtA/B and phtA/D, were identified, with a prevalence of 36.9% and 14.0%, respectively. These fusion types showed 78.1–90.0% nucleotide sequence identity with phtA, phtB, and phtD. The most prevalent pht profile was phtA + phtD + phtE (26.3%), followed by phtA/B + phtE (19.3%) and phtA/B + phtD + phtE (17.5%), while pht profiles including phtD and/or phtA/phtD were found in 71.9% of isolates. The present study revealed the presence of two fusion types of Pht and their unexpectedly high prevalence. These fusion types, as well as PhtA and PhtB, contained sequences similar to the B cell epitopes that have been previously reported for PhtD.