Distribution of ermB, ermF, tet(W), and tet(M) Resistance Genes in the Vaginal Ecosystem of Women during Pregnancy and Puerperium

Pathogens

Giulia Patuelli¹  Sara Zagonari¹  Tania Camboni²  Marco Severgnini²  Camilla Ceccarani²  Clarissa Consolandi²  Alessia Cantiani³  Claudio Foschi³  Sara Morselli³  Vittorio Sambri³  Antonella Marangoni³  Maria Federica Pedna⁴ 

[1] Family Advisory Health Centres, 48121 Ravenna, Italy;Institute of Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council, 20054 Segrate, Italy;Microbiology, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, 40128 Bologna, Italy;Unit of Microbiology, Greater Romagna Hub Laboratory, 47023 Cesena, Italy;

关键词: vaginal microbiome;    resistance genes;    macrolide;    tetracyclines;    pregnancy;    women’s health;   

DOI  :  10.3390/pathogens10121546

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

The inhabitants of the vaginal ecosystem can harbor genetic determinants conferring antimicrobial resistance. However, detailed data about the distribution of resistance genes in the vaginal microbiome of pregnant women are still lacking. Therefore, we assessed the presence of macrolide (i.e., erm genes) and tetracycline (i.e., tet genes) resistance markers in the vaginal environment of Caucasian women at different gestational ages. Furthermore, the detection of resistance genes was related to the composition of the vaginal microbiota. A total of 228 vaginal samples, collected at different trimesters of pregnancy or during the puerperium, were tested for the presence of ermB, ermF, tet(W), and tet(M) by in-house end-point PCR assays. The composition of the vaginal microbiota was assessed through a microscopic evaluation (i.e., Nugent score) and by means of sequencing V3–V4 hypervariable regions of the bacterial 16 rRNA gene. Overall, the most detected resistance gene was tet(M) (76.7%), followed by ermB (55.2%). In 17% of women, mainly with a ‘normal’ vaginal microbiota, no resistance genes were found. Except for tet(W), a significant correlation between the positivity of resistance genes and a dysbiotic vaginal status (i.e., bacterial vaginosis (BV)) was noticed. Indeed, samples positive for at least one resistance determinant were characterized by a decrease in Lactobacillus spp. and an increase of BV-related genera (Prevotella, Gardnerella, Atopobium, Sneathia). A high predominance of vaginal Lactobacillus spp. (>85%) was associated with a lower risk of tet(W) gene detection, whereas the presence of Megasphaera (>1%) increased the risk of positivity for all analyzed genes. Different types of vaginal microbiota are associated with peculiar resistance profiles, being a lactobacilli-dominated ecosystem poor in or free of resistance genes. These data could open new perspectives for promoting maternal and neonatal health.

【 授权许可】

Unknown