CHARACTERIZATION OF MULTIRESISTANT STRAINS OF NEISSERIA-GONORRHOEAE ISOLATED IN NICARAGUA

The extensive use of antibiotics in Nicaragua raises concerns about th e resulting levels of susceptibility of pathogenic bacteria. This is t he first study that characterizes 18 strains of N. gonorrhoeae isolate d in Nicaragua (1989), for their antibiotic susceptibility. Strains we re predominantly of the auxotype/serotype Proto/PIB. There was no diff erence in lipopolysaccharides profiles obtained after SDS-PAGE for all strains. Variable expression of the PII outer membrane protein was no t associated to antimicrobial resistance. All strains were susceptible to ceftriaxone, spectinomycin, rifampin and cefoxitin. The strains we re classified in five groups based on plasmid profiles. A total of 78% of the isolates were penicillinase-producing (PPNG) and 22% were tetr acycline-resistant N. gonorrhoeae (TRNG). One PPNG strain shelved a co ncomitant decreased of penicillin binding to penicillin-binding protei n 2. These randomly chosen isolates of N. gonorrhoeae from Nicaragua p ossess high levels of resistance to multiple families of drugs.