High rates of erythromycin and clindamycin resistance among OBGYN isolates of group B Streptococcus

In vitro susceptibility testing on 200 Streptococcus agalactiae strains isolated during a 4-year period from vaginal/rectal specimens demonstrated a very high resistance rate for both erythromycin (54%) and clindamycin (33%). Methylase genes erm(B) and erm(TR) and efflux genes mef(E) and mef(A) were detected. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis showed evidence of both clonal spread and multiclonal dissemination of resistant strains. All but 3 of 200 isolates were susceptible to telithromycin.