Determination of resistance to antibiotics in Corynebacteriumminotissimum isolates from Tabriz, Iran

Background and Aim : Erythrasma is a chronic infection of the skin that appears in the bodyfolds as flat copper spots. The causative agent of this infection is Corynebacterium minutissimum(C. minutissimum). Erythrasma can be treated with antiseptic or topical antibiotic. The aim of thisstudy was to investigate the frequency and antibiotics susceptibility patterns of, and the presenceof the erythromycin resistance gene (ermX and mefA) in C. minutissimum isolates from Tabriz,Iran.Methods : From July ۲۰۲۰ to May ۲۰۲۲, ۲۷۸ skin scrub specimens were collected from patientsadmitted to hospitals of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. Specimens were incubated on theblood agar plates and isolates were identified by microbiological laboratory standards. Theantibiotic susceptibility patterns were determined by the disk diffusion method and resistancegenes of ermX and mefA were detected by the PCR method.Results : Out of ۲۷۸ specimens, ۴۱ C. minutissimum isolates (۱۴.۷۴%) were recovered. Thehighest frequency of resistance was observed to penicillin (۷۵.۶%) followed by clindamycin(۴۶.۳۴%), erythromycin (۳۹.۲%), tetracycline (۲۴.۲%) gentamicin (۱۹.۱۵%), clarithromycin andneomycin (۴.۴۸%). The frequency of ermX and mefA genes were ۷۵% and ۱۲.۵%, respectively.Conclusion : The prevalence of erythrasma is a relatively moderate. Resistance to antimicrobialdrugs was common and worrying. Resistance to erythromycin in C. minutissimum is mainlyrelated to the ermX gene.

کلیدواژه ها:

Erythrasma ، erythromycin ، Corynebacterium minutissimum ، resistance