MYCOPLASMA GENITALIUM INFECTIOUS LOAD AND TREATMENT FAILURE DUE TO SELECTED MACROLIDE RESISTANCE

Abstract

BackgroundTreatment failure due the development of macrolide resistance seen at Melbourne Sexual Health Centre (MSHC) has risen from 15 to 46% over the last six years (p < 0.01). Macrolide resistance is conferred through point mutations in the M. genitalium 23S rRNA gene. Treatment failure with 1g azithromycin is either due to an infection with a pre-existing resistant strain or development of resistance during treatment, but the mechanism is not yet fully understood.MethodsA subset of M. genitalium positive cases seen at MSHC between 2007–9 (n = 67) and 2012 (n = 70) underwent detection of resistance mutations via high resolution melt analysis, with real-time PCR quantifying M. genitalium i..