DETECTION OF ERYTHROMYCIN-RESISTANT DETERMINANTS BY PCR

Erythromycin resistance determinants include Erm methylases, efflux pu mps, and inactivating enzymes. To distinguish the different mechanisms of resistance in clinical isolates, PCR primers were designed so that amplification of the partial gene products could be detected in multi plex PCRs. This methodology enables the direct sequencing of amplified PCR products that can be used to compare resistance determinants in c linical strains. Further, this methodology could be useful in surveill ance studies of erythromycin-resistant determinants.