Antimicrobial Resistance Determinants in the Oropharyngeal Microbiome of 'men Having Sex with Men' Attending an Sexually Transmitted Infection Clinic

Background: 'Men having sex with men' (MSM) represent a key population with a significant prevalence of pharyngeal (NG) infections and a high rate of antimicrobial resistance genes in the pharyngeal microbiome. As NG can acquire antibiotic resistance genes from other commensal oropharyngeal bacteria, monitoring the prevalence of these resistance determinants is critical to curtail the spread of NG-resistant strains.

Purpose And Research Design: Here, we assessed the distribution of five resistance genes () in the oropharynx of 164 MSM, attending an Outpatient clinic for STI screening.

Results: The most frequently detected resistance gene was (88.4%), followed by (67.1%). The distribution of resistance genes was not influenced by pharyngeal gonorrhea nor by the HIV status, whereas a younger age was associated with presence ( = .008). Subjects using mouthwash exhibited significantly lower levels of ( = .0005). Smoking habit was associated with a higher prevalence of ( = .02). A noteworthy association was observed between the presence of gene and the use of antibiotics ( = .014).

Conclusions: Our findings reveal an enrichment of antimicrobial resistance genes in the oropharynx of MSM. These insights could aid in the development of screening programs and antimicrobial stewardship initiatives targeting populations at heightened risk of pharyngeal gonorrhea.