Genomic Epidemiology of Streptococcus pneumoniae Isolated in a Tertiary Hospital in Beijing, China, from 2018 to 2022

Abstract

Streptococcus pneumoniae is one of the most common bacterial pathogens of a wide range of community-acquired infections. It has been more and more recognized that this bacterium could also play a role as a cause of nosocomial infections. In this study, by retrospective analysis of the phenotypic resistance characteristics and genomic characteristics of 52 S. pneumoniae isolates in a hospital in Beijing, China, from 2018 to 2022, we explored the carriage of resistance genes and mutations in penicillin-binding proteins corresponding to the resistances, and identified the population diversity based on the prediction of serotypes and identification of sequence types (STs). The isolates displayed resistances to erythromycin (98%), tetracycline (96%), sulfonamide (72%) and penicillin G (42%). Among the 52 isolates, 41 displayed multiple-drug resistance. In total, 37 STs and 21 serotypes were identified, and the clonal complex 271 serogroup 19 was the most prevalent subtype. Only 24 isolates (46.2%) of 7 serotypes were covered by the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccination. The isolates showed high carriages of resistance genes, including tet(M) (100%) and erm(B) (98.1%); additionally, 32 isolates (61.5%) had mutations in penicillin-binding proteins. We also observed 11 healthcare-associated infections and 3 cases infected by different subtypes of isolates. We did not find nosocomial transmissions between the patients, and these cases might be associated with the asymptomatic colonization of S. pneumoniae in the human population. Our results called for further active surveillance of these subtypes, as well as the continuous optimization of the treatment protocols.