Identification of clinical isolates of indole-positive Klebsiella spp., including Klebsiella planticola, and a genetic and molecular analysis of their beta-lactamases.

In a collection of 43 indole-positive Klebsiella clinical isolates, which were initially identified as Klebsiella oxytoca, there were 18 isolates which exhibited a pattern characteristic of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) resistance. This study aimed to confirm their identity by biochemical tests and by PCR and to determine the genetic basis for their resistance to the beta-lactams and broad-spectrum cephalosporins. Chromosomal beta-lactamase genes were analyzed by PCR, and plasmid-mediated beta-lactamase genes were analyzed by conjugation and transformation.

An evaluation of the in vitro activity of piperacillin/tazobactam.

Tazobactam is a new, irreversible inhibitor of bacterial beta-lactamases of staphylococci, plasmid-mediated beta-lactamases of the TEM and SHV types found in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella species and beta-lactamases of anerobes such as Bacteroides species. Its combination with piperacillin, a broad spectrum ureido-penicillin, would be expected to improve the activity of piperacillin against staphylococci, TEM and SHV beta-lactamase producing Gram negative bacteria and anerobes. Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of piperacillin/tazobactam were determined for 1952 individual patient isolates of Gram positive and negative bacteria causing significant infections and compared with MIC values for cefotaxime, ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, imipenem, ticarcillin/clavulanic acid.

Characterization of an SHV-5 related extended broad-spectrum beta-lactamase in Enterobacteriaceae from Western Australia.

Among 209 isolates of aminoglycoside resistant Enterobacteriaceae isolated from patients attending the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Perth, Western Australia between January 1985 and June 1991, 41 strains demonstrated additional resistance to cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, ceftazidime and aztreonam. Significant synergy was demonstrable between these beta-lactams and clavulanic acid against resistant strains. The beta-lactamase was mediated by a 170 Kb self-transferring plasmid and identified as the SHV-5 type in isoelectric focusing (pl 8.

The changing ecology of hospital bacteria and the selective role of cephalosporins.

More than 12,800 clinical isolates from 115,373 in-patient specimens obtained at the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, were identified and analysed statistically for relationships with usage of three generations of cephalosporins over the 5-year period from July 1984 to June 1989. A positive relationship between cephalosporin usage and significantly increasing isolation rates for those species capable of producing chromosomal beta-lactamases was observed. Simultaneously, a small increase in the isolation frequency of non-chromosomal beta-lactamase-producing strains was noted and no correlation with cephalosporin usage was demonstrated.