What is the difference between "unknown tetracycline" and "tetracycline"

[Kaixin h]

Hi, in the pheno_table.txt. What is the difference between "unknown tetracycline" and "tetracycline" under the Antimicrobial column? Also there is "unknown rifamycin " and "rifampicin".

Thanks!

[CGE Helpdesk]

Dear Kaixin,

Thank you for your interest in ResFinder.

All antibiotic classes contain an “Unknown <class>” entry. This phenotype is assigned when resistance has been observed towards this class of antibiotics, but it is unknown to which antibiotic.

“Tetracycline” is a class of antibiotics, but “Tetracycline” is also itself an antibiotic within that class. “Unknown Tetracycline” is referring to the class, meaning that it is resistance to a non-specific antibiotic within the Tetracycline class.

There is no “Unknown Rifampicin” because the class is called Rifamycin, meaning there will only be an “Unknown Rifamycin” category.

I hope this answered your questions.

Best,
Karen, CGE Helpdesk

[Kaixin h]

Thank you.