Escherichia coli as Reservoir for Macrolide Resistance Genes

Abstract

The plasmid-borne mph(A) gene that confers resistance to azithromycin and has recently emerged in Shigella sonnei is present in multidrug- and non–multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli isolates from 4 continents. Further spread of mph(A) to Shigella and Salmonella spp. may be expected.

Keywords

• Antimicrobial resistance
• shigellosis
• azithromycin
• erythromycin
• Escherichia coli
• bacteria