Abstract

 
 
 
 Chlamydia trachomatis infection is a public health problem worldwide. Although antibiotic resistance of this strict intracellular bacterium is rare, it is important to monitor the appearance of resistance genes to available efficient antibiotics. This study aimed to screen for mutations in some of these genes in C. trachomatis clinical isolates, which may be associated to resistance to quinolone and macrolide antibiotics. Thirty-five endocervical samples were collected from women aged between 18 and 49 in five district hospitals in the Western Region of Cameroon. The mutations in quinolones (parC and gyrA) and macrolides (L4, L22 and 23S rRNA) resistance domains were detected by PCR followed by sequencing on positive samples to C. trachomatis. The overall mutation rate for the studied genes was 60% in the studied samples. Seven (20%) and twelve (34%) samples presented mutations in the parC and gyrA gene respectively. Mutations in L4 (11.42%) and L22 (60%) were detected in ours samples, while no mutation was found in 23S rRNA gene. Seven clinical samples (20%) presented mutations to both macrolide and quinolone resistance genes. This study revealed a relatively high rate of mutations in the resistance genes to macrolides and quinolones in C. trachomatis in the West Cameroon. This rate of mutation calls for the competent authorities for better surveillance of C. trachomatis infection in West Cameroon to avoid a sudden increase in resistance to antibiotics in the years to come.
 
 
 
 
Highlights
Chlamydia trachomatis is the most common sexually transmitted disease and causative agent of a variety of disease situations including ocular trachoma leading to blindness; oculo-genital diseases causing infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease; reactive arthritis in adults; lymphogranuloma venereum and perinatal infections [1]
In a recent study conducted in five hospitals in the West Cameroon region, using PCR detection, we found that the prevalence of C. trachomatis infection was 11.5% and the circulating serotypes were found to be mainly D (49%), E (29.4%) and G (21.6%) (Unpublished results)
Obtained PCR products of parC, gyrA, L4, L22 and 23S rRNA genes (Fig. 2) were sequenced to detect mutations possibly associated to quinolone and macrolides resistance in C. trachomatis
Summary
Chlamydia trachomatis is the most common sexually transmitted disease and causative agent of a variety of disease situations including ocular trachoma leading to blindness; oculo-genital diseases causing infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease; reactive arthritis in adults; lymphogranuloma venereum and perinatal infections [1]. C. trachomatis infection affects 92 million people around the world each year [2]. This infection and their sequelae are major public health problems, resulting in high morbidity and economic losses linked to low worker performance and treatment costs [3]. These costs increase significantly when the disease is not diagnosed and treated on time, leading to complications [4]. Irreversible tubal or pelvic lesions may have formed and persist after eradication of microbial agents
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