A nosocomial outbreak of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates expressing the extended-spectrum beta-lactamase GES-2 in South Africa

J Antimicrob Chemother. 2002 Mar;49(3):561-5. doi: 10.1093/jac/49.3.561.

Abstract

Eight Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical strains that produce the clavulanic-acid-inhibited beta-lactamase GES-2 were isolated from patients of a South African hospital from March to July 2000. They were clonally related and each harboured a 150 kb conjugative plasmid carrying a class 1 integron containing a gene cassette encoding GES-2, followed by those for beta-lactamase OXA-5 and an aminoglycoside modifying AAC(3)I-like enzyme. Hence, incidences of infection, several fatal, due to bacteria displaying clavulanate-inhibited resistance to extended-spectrum cephalosporins and reduced susceptibility to imipenem in Pretoria Academic Hospital, South Africa, can be explained, at least in part, by the spread of P. aeruginosa expressing the GES-2 beta-lactamase.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Ceftazidime / pharmacology
  • Cross Infection / epidemiology
  • Cross Infection / microbiology*
  • DNA, Bacterial / analysis
  • Disease Outbreaks*
  • Escherichia coli / genetics
  • Genes, Bacterial
  • Humans
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Mutagenesis, Insertional
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Pseudomonas Infections / epidemiology
  • Pseudomonas Infections / microbiology*
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / drug effects
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / enzymology
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / genetics*
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / isolation & purification
  • Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique
  • South Africa / epidemiology
  • beta-Lactam Resistance / genetics
  • beta-Lactamases / biosynthesis
  • beta-Lactamases / genetics*
  • beta-Lactams / pharmacology

Substances

  • DNA, Bacterial
  • beta-Lactams
  • Ceftazidime
  • beta-lactamase GES-2
  • beta-Lactamases