Korean J Clin Microbiol.  2009 Mar;12(1):17-23. 10.5145/KJCM.2009.12.1.17.

Characterization of Class 1 Integrons in Metallo-beta-lactamase-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa

• Sung JY
• Koo SH
• Kwon KC
• Park JW
• Ko CS
• Shin SY
• Song JH

• KMID: 1469965
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5145/KJCM.2009.12.1.17

Abstract

BACKGROUND
The genes of metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL), a powerful carbapenemase, are carried as a part of the mobile gene cassettes inserted into integrons playing an important role in rapid dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes among bacterial isolates. In this study, we investigated carbapenemase genes and class 1 integrons integrated into the gene cassettes in imipenem-non susceptible P. aeruginosa.
METHODS
From July 2006 to March 2008, 81 consecutive, non-duplicate, imipenem-non susceptible P. aeruginosa were isolated at Chungnam National University Hospital in Chungcheong province of Korea. The modified Hodge and double disk synergy tests were conducted for the screening of carbapenemase and MBL production, respectively, and PCR and DNA sequencing were performed for the detection of carbapenemase genes and class 1 integron gene cassettes. We also employed the repetitive element sequence-based (Rep)-PCR method for an epidemiologic study.
RESULTS
MBLs were detected in 13.6% (11/81) of imipenem-non susceptible P. aeruginosa. Ten isolates were found to carry blaIMP-1, whereas 1 isolate was found to carry a blaVIM-2. All of the IMP-1-producing strains harbored 4.0 kb class 1 integron containing chloramphenicol, aminoglycoside, and beta-lactam- resistant genes. However, blaIMP-1 was not detected at class 1 integron. A 2.5 kb class 1 integron harboring blaVIM-2 was detected in a VIIM-2- producing strain. One identical pattern was observed in ten IMP-1 producing strains.
CONCLUSION
IMP-1 producing P. aeruginosa strains are currently distributed throughout Chungcheong province of Korea. In particular, all of the strains harbored class 1 integrons containing variant antibiotic resistance gene cassettes.

Keyword

Metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL); Class 1 integron; Multidrug resistance Pseudomonas aeruginosa

MeSH Terms

Bacterial Proteins
beta-Lactamases
Chloramphenicol
Drug Resistance, Microbial
Integrons
Korea
Mass Screening
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Pseudomonas
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Sequence Analysis, DNA
Sprains and Strains
Bacterial Proteins
Chloramphenicol
beta-Lactamases

Figure

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  Fig. 1. Schematic representation of gene cassette structure located in the class 1 integron isolated from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The horizontal arrows indicate the translation orientation of the genes.

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  Fig. 2. Repetitive element sequence-based (Rep)-PCR patterns of genomic DNA from eleven MBL producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Lane M is 1 kb DNA size marker.

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