Fluoroquinolone Resistance Mechanisms of Shigella flexneri Isolated in Bangladesh

Objective To investigate the prevalence and mechanisms of fluoroquinolone resistance in Shigella species isolated in Bangladesh and to compare with similar strains isolated in China. Methods A total of 3789 Shigella isolates collected from Clinical Microbiology Laboratory of icddr,b, during 2004–2010 were analyzed for antibiotic susceptibility. Analysis of plasmids, plasmid-mediated quinolone-resistance genes, PFGE, and sequencing of genes of the quinolone-resistance-determining regions (QRDR) were conducted in representative strains isolated in Bangladesh and compared with strains isolated in Zhengding, China. In addition, the role of efflux-pump was studied by using the efflux-pump inhibitor carbonyl cyanide-m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP). Results Resistance to ciprofloxacin in Shigella species increased from 0% in 2004 to 44% in 2010 and S. flexneri was the predominant species. Of Shigella spp, ciprofloxacin resistant (Cip R ) strains were mostly found among S. flexneri (8.3%), followed by S. sonnei (1.5%). Within S. flexneri (n = 2181), 14.5% were resistance to ciprofloxacin of which serotype 2a was predominant (96%). MIC of ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, and ofloxacin were 6–32 mg/L, 8–32 mg/L, and 8–24 mg/L, respectively in S. flexneri 2a isolates. Sequencing of QRDR genes of resistant isolates showed double mutations in gyr A gene (Ser 83 Leu, Asp 87 Asn/Gly) and single mutation in par C gene (Ser 80 Ile). A difference in amino acid substitution at position 87 was found between strains isolated in Bangladesh (Asp 87 Asn) and China (Asp 87 Gly) except for one. A novel mutation at position 211 (His→Tyr) in gyr A gene was detected only in the Bangladeshi strains. Susceptibility to ciprofloxacin was increased by the presence of CCCP indicating the involvement of energy dependent active efflux pumps. A single PFGE type was found in isolates from Bangladesh and China suggesting their genetic relatedness. Conclusions Emergence of fluoroquinolone resistance in Shigella undermines a major challenge in current treatment strategies which needs to be followed up by using empirical therapeutic strategies.