High-Level Aminoglycoside Resistance in the Beta-Hemolytic Group G Streptococcus Isolate BM2721

The beta-hemolytic group G Streptococcus clinical isolate BM2721 was resistant to high levels of aminogly-cosides by synthesis of AAC(6*)-APH(2(), APH(3*)-III, and ANT(6) modifying enzymes. The corresponding genes were found to be adjacent as the result of a recombination event between Tn4001 and Tn5405, two transposons originating in staphylococci. Group G streptococci form a heterogeneous collection of microorganisms. A minimum of three groups can be distin-guished, as follows: (i) the large-colony beta-hemolytic group G streptococci isolated from humans, (ii) the large-colony be-ta-hemolytic strains from animals, designated Streptococcus ca-nis, that differ from human group G strains by their fibrinolytic activity (13), and (iii) the minute beta-hemolytic colony group G strains from humans. Human large-colony group G strepto-cocci have been mainly associated with pharyngitis, skin and soft tissue infections, septicemia, endocarditis, and arthritis (12). They can also be involved in neonatal and postpartu