Distribution and characterization of integrons in Escherichia coli strains of animal and human origin.

One hundred and twenty clinical and commensal Escherichia coli strains isolated in Switzerland from humans and from companion and farm animals were analysed for the prevalence of integrons of classes 1, 2, and 3 and for the characterization of their gene cassettes. The relationships between integron carriage and host category, and between integron carriage and phylogenetic E. coli lineage were also analysed.