Chloramphenicol Resistance in Neisseria meningitidis in Africa
Author Information
Author(s): Maria-Lucia C. Tondella, Nancy E. Rosenstein, Leonard W. Mayer, Fred C. Tenover, Sheila A. Stocker, Mike W. Reeves, Tanja Popovic
Primary Institution: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Hypothesis
Is there a presence of chloramphenicol-resistant Neisseria meningitidis strains in Africa?
Conclusion
Chloramphenicol resistance in Africa is relatively infrequent, suggesting it remains an appropriate treatment for meningococcal disease.
Supporting Evidence
- Chloramphenicol resistance was first described in meningococcal serogroup B isolates.
- Only serogroup A strains were included in this study since A is the most prevalent serogroup in Africa.
- Thirteen (39.3%) of the strains were isolated during the 1990s.
- All isolates were susceptible to both chloramphenicol and penicillin.
Takeaway
The study looked for a gene that makes bacteria resistant to a medicine called chloramphenicol in samples from Africa and found it was mostly not there, meaning the medicine still works.
Methodology
The study assessed the frequency of the catP gene in 33 N. meningitidis strains using multilocus enzyme electrophoresis and determined chloramphenicol and penicillin MICs.
Limitations
The small sample size limited the chances of detecting rare events.
Participant Demographics
Strains were collected from various African countries during outbreaks from 1963 to 1998.
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