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Antimicrobial resistance rates of urogenital Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma species before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: results from a Greek survey, 2014 to 2022

The Journal of Antibiotics volume 77, pages 120–125 (2024)Cite this article

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Abstract

The prevalence of antibiotic-resistant urogenital mycoplasmas and ureaplasmas has been gradually increasing over the years, leading to greater concern for accurate diagnosis and treatment. In this study, the antimicrobial resistance trends in Greece were analyzed using 2992 Ureaplasma spp. and 371 M. hominis isolates collected between 2014 and 2022. Antibiotic sensitivity was determined using eight different antimicrobial agents (josamycin, pristinamycin, clindamycin, ofloxacin, azithromycin, tetracycline, erythromycin, and doxycycline), with the data analyzed using descriptive statistical methods. Resistance rates to clindamycin and erythromycin increased for both M. hominis and Ureaplasma spp., while remaining relatively low for Tetracycline, Doxycycline, and Ofloxacin. For Ureaplasma spp., high susceptibility was observed to pristinamycin, tetracycline, doxycycline, azithromycin, and josamycin, and intermediate susceptibility to erythromycin. However, the resistance rate for clindamycin dramatically increased from 60% in 2014 to a peak of 98.46% in 2021, and the erythromycin resistance rate increased from 9.54% in 2018 to 22.13% in 2021. M. hominis exhibited consistently high resistance rates to Erythromycin, while Azithromycin resistance significantly increased over time, from 52.78% in 2017 to 97.22% in 2022. The alarming escalation in antibiotic-resistant urogenital mycoplasmas and ureaplasmas in the Greek population is a significant concern. Antibiotic overconsumption may have played a crucial role in increasing resistance trends. The implementation of nationwide surveillance systems, proper antibiotic stewardship policies, and appropriate culture-based therapy policies are necessary to effectively control this emerging risk.

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Data availability

The data presented in this study are available upon reasonable request from the corresponding author. The data are not publicly available due to privacy constraints.

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Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Karolina Akinosoglou, Aristotelis Tsiakalos

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical School, University of Patras, 26504, Rio, Greece

    Karolina Akinosoglou, Georgios Schinas & Eleni Polyzou

  2. Department of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, University General Hospital of Patras, 26504, Rio, Greece

    Karolina Akinosoglou & Eleni Polyzou

  3. Leto General, Maternity & Gynecology Clinic, 11524, Athens, Greece

    Aristotelis Tsiakalos

  4. Bioiatriki Healthcare Group, Kifisias 132 and Papada Street, 115 26, Athens, Greece

    Ioanna D. Dimopoulou & Jenny Kourea-Kremastinou

  5. Department of Microbiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Street, 11527, Athens, Greece

    Vassiliki C. Pitiriga

Authors
  1. Karolina Akinosoglou
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  2. Aristotelis Tsiakalos
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  3. Ioanna D. Dimopoulou
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  4. Georgios Schinas
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  5. Eleni Polyzou
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  6. Jenny Kourea-Kremastinou
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  7. Vassiliki C. Pitiriga
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Contributions

AT, VP conceived the idea, AT, VP, JKK, ID collected data, KA, GS, EP analyzed data, KA wrote the manuscript, AT, VP critically corrected the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Karolina Akinosoglou.

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Akinosoglou, K., Tsiakalos, A., Dimopoulou, I.D. et al. Antimicrobial resistance rates of urogenital Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma species before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: results from a Greek survey, 2014 to 2022. J Antibiot 77, 120–125 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41429-023-00680-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41429-023-00680-5

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