Abstract

DA MATA J, Omaira J; FERNANDEZ F, Sandra; RODRIGUEZ, Margarita  and  DE WAARD, Jacobus H. Resistance mechanisms of rapid growing mycobacteria. INHRR [online]. 2016, vol.47, n.1-2, pp.95-124. ISSN 0798-0477.

The rapid growing mycobacteria (RGM) are opportunist pathogens able to cause skin, pulmonary and disseminated infections. In Venezuela there is an increase in the prevalence of these infections especially following esthetic surgery. The treatment of such infections is cumbersome requiring the administration of at least two antibiotics for several months. In the present review we describe the principal antibiotic resistance mechanisms reported for RGM, particular for the species most frequently associated with skin and soft tissue infection: M. abscessus, M. chelonae and M. fortuitum. The most important factors associated with resistance to antibiotics are impermeability of the cell membrane, enzymatic inactivation and changes in the target site. In RGM the presence of the beta-lactamases with penicillinases and cephalosporinase activity has been demonstrated and the presence of acetyl-transferases which can modify aminoglycosides. Changes in the 23S rRNA and 16S rRNA regions has allowed to explain, partly macrolide and aminoglycoside resistance. Mutation in the macrolide target site is another important resistance mechanism, particularly for the species group M. abscessus. This last mechanism can explain treatment failure reported in the patients with pulmonary or skin infection. We conclude that there is a need for more extensive studies about the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance of RGM; taking into account the complications of these infections, the prolonged treatment long time, producing secondary effects and the frustrations of patient and physician caused by therapeutic failures.

Keywords : rapid growing mycobacteria (RGM); antibiotic resistance mechanisms; mycobacteriosis.