This paper retrospectively analysed the prevalence of macrolide-resistant Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MRMP) in some parts of China. Between January 2013 and December 2019, we collected 4,145 respiratory samples, including pharyngeal swabs and alveolar lavage fluid. The highest PCR-positive rate of M. pneumoniae was 74.5% in Beijing, the highest resistance rate was 100% in Shanghai, and Gansu was the lowest with 20%. The highest PCR-positive rate of M. pneumoniae was 74.5% in 2013, and the highest MRMP was 97.4% in 2019; the PCR-positive rate of M. pneumoniae for adults in Beijing was 17.9% and the MRMP was 10.48%. Among the children diagnosed with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), the PCR-positive and macrolide-resistant rates of M. pneumoniae were both higher in the severe ones. A2063G in domain V of 23S rRNA was the major macrolide-resistant mutation, accounting for more than 90%. The MIC values of all MRMP to erythromycin and azithromycin were ≥ 64 μg/ml, and the MICs of tetracycline and levofloxacin were ≤ 0.5 μg/ml and ≤ 1 μg/ml, respectively. The macrolide resistance varied in different regions and years. Among inpatients, the macrolide-resistant rate was higher in severe pneumonia. A2063G was the common mutation, and we found no resistance to tetracycline and levofloxacin.

In 2020, European Network for Health Technology Assessment (EUnetHTA) published a relative effectiveness analysis (REA) of Pretomanid in combination with Bedaquiline and Linezolid for the treatment of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) or treatment-intolerant or nonresponsive multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis (TB) (REA PTJA14). This REA may have a significant value for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) outside Europe, particularly those with a high burden of drug-resistant TB. This commentary focuses on whether the REA PTJA14 can be transferred and to what extent a REA can be translated to LMICs context outside Europe. We found that the assessments on the clinical effectiveness and risks of bias reported in REA PTJA14 are useful for LMICs outside Europe. The highly standardized management of TB will support the applicability of the REA to LMICs outside of Europe. Transferring this REA can reduce workload and efficiently use limited resources to conduct health technology assessment (HTA). However, the transfer should consider several critical issues, including variations in health system delivery and clinical practice and setting-specific constraints. In the TB context, the differences in the current standard treatment for XDR or nonresponsive MDR TB, resources availability for drug-resistant TB management, and how healthcare is delivered in the countries can complicate the applicability of the REA PTJA14. Given that LMICs have limitations in doing HTA, it is now critical to develop standard guidelines for transferring REA or other HTA results from high-income countries or other LMICs to maximize the benefits of the REA for LMICs outside Europe.