Open AccessAtypical pneumococcal isolate from blood
Author(s) -
Jayashree Veerasamy,
Jayalakshmi Jayarajan
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
international journal of applied and basic medical research/international journal of applied and basic medical research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2248-9606
pISSN - 2229-516X
DOI - 10.4103/ijabmr.ijabmr_459_16
Subject(s) - pneumolysin , autolysin , streptococcus pneumoniae , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , bacteremia , pneumococcal pneumonia , polymerase chain reaction , pneumococcal infections , pneumonia , genotype , gene , immunology , genetics , medicine , antibiotics
Pneumonia with bacteremia accounts for the majority (70%) of cases of invasive pneumococcal diseases. Laboratory characterization of pneumococci is routinely done by sensitivity to optochin. We identified an atypical presentation of optochin-resistant pneumococci in blood isolate of a patient with sepsis. Polymerase chain reaction for autolysin (lytA) and pneumolysin (ply) was positive in the bile soluble isolate. Gene sequencing revealed synonymous single nucleotide polymorphism type of functional mutation in lytA gene. There have been emerging reports of optochin-resistant pneumococci. Diminishing relevance and reliability of optochin sensitivity testing in identifying pneumococci in clinical samples has been highlighted by this case report.