Antimicrobial susceptibilities of Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains isolated in Java, Indonesia.

Background: Despite the rapid spread of antibiotic resistance in gonococci all over Southeast Asia there is only limited surveillance for antibiotic susceptibility in Indonesia. Goal: This study was undertaken to determine the frequency and diversity of antimicrobial resistance in gonococcal isolates from cohorts of female commercial sex workers in Bandung and Jakarta Indonesia and to characterize the Tet M plasmid among the tetracycline- resistant N gonorrhoeae strains. Study Design: The antimicrobial susceptibility of 267 strains (85 strains from Bandung and 182 from Jakarta) to penicillin spectinomycin tetracycline ciprofloxacin cefotaxime thiamphenicol kanamycin azithromycin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMPSMZ) was determined by agar dilution. Typing of the Tet M plasmid in tetracycline-resistant isolates was performed by PCR. Results: Prevalence of penicillin and tetracycline resistance was extremely high: 60.0% of the isolates from Bandung and 70.9% of the isolates from Jakarta were resistant to penicillin. Of these 60.0% and 62.1% respectively were penicillinase-producing N gonorrhoeae (PPNG). All the isolates from Bandung and 98.4% from Jakarta were resistant to tetracycline. All tetracycline-resistant isolates from Bandung and 97.8% from Jakarta carried a PCR fragment characteristic of the “Dutch” type Tet M plasmid. One isolate from Jakarta showed chromosomal resistance to tetracycline (0.6%). Chromosomal resistance to thiamphenicol (MIC >/= 2.0 microg/ml) was significantly higher in Jakarta than in Bandung (P < 0.05). All gonococcal isolates were susceptible to kanamycin spectinomycin cefotaxime ciprofloxacin and azithromycin. Conclusion: Spectinomycin fluoroquinolones and azithromycin are still useful primary drugs for treatment of gonococcal infections in Indonesia. Continued surveillance of antimicrobial susceptibility should be part of gonorrhea control in Indonesia. (author’s)