[MALDI-ToF mass-spectrometry in analysis of genetically determined resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae to fluoroquinolones].

New fluoroquinolones with higher antipneumococcal activity are considered promising in the treatment of respiratory tract infections. Still, their wide use in clinical practice is connected with possible selection and rapid distribution of the resistance, requiring constant monitoring. Development of resistance to fluoroquinolones results from step-wise accumulation of mutations in the genes of DNA-gyrase and topoisomerase IV, the mutations of the first step being not always accompanied by a significant increase of the MIC of the new fluoroquinolones. Therefore, to detect the first signs of the resistance development, it is necessary not only to detect the susceptibility of the circulating Streptococcus pneumoniae strains phenotypically, but also to detect the genetic changes. In the present study the minisequent reaction followed by detection of the reaction products by MALD-ToF mass-spectrometry was used to reveal the mutations in the genes of the fluoroquinolone targets of 38 S. pneumoniae strains with different levels of the resistance to ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, levofloxacin and moxifloxacin. In the strains with high resistance to all the three fluoroquinolones (MIC 4-16 mcg/ml) there were detected mutations in GyrA (Ser81Tyr or Glu85Zys) and as well in ParC (Ser79Phe or Ser79Tyr). In the strains resistant to ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin (MIC 4-8 mcg/ml) with preserved susceptibility to levofloxacin and moxifloxacin, the mutations were detected only in GyrA (Ser114Gly). In the moderately resistant strains (MICs 4 and 2-4 mcg/ml respectively for ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin) there were detected the known mutations in ParC (Ser79Tyr or Ser79Phe or Asp83Tyr) and in GyrB (Glu475Lys) as well as the earlier not described mutations in ParE (ins Asn381a) and in Gyr B (Thr329Ala or Va1355Ile). The described method can be used in mass screening of S. pneumoniae strains for the presence of mutations in the genes of the fluoroquinolone targets.