Distribution of tetracycline resistance genes tet(M), tet(O), tet(L) and tet(K) in blood isolates of viridans group streptococci harbouring erm(B) and mef(A) genes. Susceptibility to quinupristin/dalfopristin and linezolid.

Susceptibility to erythromycin, tetracycline, clindamycin, quinupristin/dalfopristin and linezolid was investigated using 111 consecutive non-duplicate blood culture isolates of viridans-group streptococci (VGS). The erm(B) and mef(A) genes were detected, either alone or in combination, in the 47 (42%) erythromycin-resistant strains. The tet(M) gene alone was predominant (78%) in the 36 (35%) tetracycline-resistant isolates. Two isolates carried the tet(O) gene alone and two others the tet(L) associated with tet(O) or tet(M). The association between erythromycin and tetracycline resistance was common and the erm(B) and tet(M) determinants seem to be associated in our VGS. We found three isolates resistant to quinupristin/dalfopristin, all of them were erythromycin and tetracycline-resistant. For all isolates tested, linezolid MICs were <or=2 mg/l.