Comparison of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance and extended-spectrum β-lactamases in third-generation cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae from four Irish hospitals

J Med Microbiol. 2012 Jan;61(Pt 1):142-147. doi: 10.1099/jmm.0.035246-0. Epub 2011 Sep 8.

Abstract

In this study, the frequency of extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL) and plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) mechanisms were investigated in 206 clinical isolates of third-generation cephalosporin (3GC)-resistant Enterobacteriaceae in four hospitals in the Republic of Ireland. bla(CTX-M-15) was the predominant ESBL gene. Of these 3GC resistant isolates, 54 % were also resistant to ciprofloxacin. Investigation of the PMQR mechanisms revealed that the aac(6')Ib-cr gene predominated in fluoroquinolone-resistant (FQR) strains of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, while the qnrA gene predominated in the FQR strains of Enterobacter. The bla(CTX-M-15) gene was frequently identified with the aac(6')Ib-cr gene but was not always on the same plasmid. The prevalence of the bla(CTX-M-15) gene appeared to be hospital-dependent. The epidemiology of both ESBL-producing and PMQR strains within the four hospitals indicated that their prevalence is not due to the spread of these resistance genes between isolates from different hospitals.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Cephalosporins / pharmacology*
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / genetics*
  • Enterobacteriaceae / drug effects*
  • Enterobacteriaceae / genetics
  • Enterobacteriaceae / isolation & purification
  • Enterobacteriaceae Infections / epidemiology*
  • Enterobacteriaceae Infections / microbiology
  • Hospitals / statistics & numerical data*
  • Humans
  • Ireland / epidemiology
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Plasmids / genetics*
  • Prevalence
  • Quinolones / pharmacology*
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • beta-Lactamases / biosynthesis*
  • beta-Lactamases / genetics

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Cephalosporins
  • Quinolones
  • beta-Lactamases

Associated data

  • GENBANK/UNKNOWN