CHARACTERIZATION OF MULTIRESISTANT STRAINS OF NEISSERIA-GONORRHOEAE ISOLATED IN NICARAGUA

The extensive use of antibiotics in Nicaragua raises concerns about the resulting levels of susceptibility of pathogenic bacteria. This is the first study that characterizes 18 strains of N. gonorrhoeae isolated in Nicaragua (1989), for their antibiotic susceptibility. Strains were predominantly of the auxotype/serotype Proto/PIB. There was no difference in lipopolysaccharides profiles obtained after SDS-PAGE for all strains. Variable expression of the PII outer membrane protein was not associated to antimicrobial resistance. All strains were susceptible to ceftriaxone, spectinomycin, rifampin and cefoxitin. The strains were classified in five groups based on plasmid profiles. A total of 78% of the isolates were penicillinase-producing (PPNG) and 22% were tetracycline-resistant N. gonorrhoeae (TRNG). One PPNG strain shelved a concomitant decreased of penicillin binding to penicillin-binding protein 2. These randomly chosen isolates of N. gonorrhoeae from Nicaragua possess high levels of resistance to multiple families of drugs.