Characterization of antimicrobial resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from canine infections

Aims: To determine the prevalence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa among dogs with suspected soft tissue infections and to characterize these isolates. Methods and Results: Swabs were taken from infected soft tissues of 402 dogs. Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains were confirmed phenotypically and tested for susceptibility to 11 antimicrobial agents and genotyped by SpeI pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The genetic basis of fluoroquinolone (FQ) resistance and the presence of integrons were also characterized. A total of 27 (6·7%) dogs tested positive for Ps. aeruginosa. Fourteen different SpeI patterns were observed in 25 typeable strains. Among the β‐lactams, three isolates presented resistance to ticarcillin and carbenicillin, while only one isolate exhibited resistance to ceftazidime. Among the aminoglycosides (AGs), three strains showed resistance to amikacin, and four strains exhibited resistance to gentamicin and tobramycin. Four strains with mutations that led to the substitution of Thr at position 83 with Ile in GyrA and the exchange of Ser at position 87 with Leu in ParC displayed resistance to all tested FQs. These strains also carried class 1 integrons and showed resistance to between 6 and 10 antimicrobials. These integrons included four different gene cassettes (aacA4‐aadA1, bla_OXA‐31‐aadA2, aadA1‐arr‐3‐catB3 and cmlA5‐cmlA‐aadA1). Conclusions: A small proportion of infected dogs treated in two animal hospitals in Beijing, China carried Ps. aeruginosa isolates. Low levels of resistance to anti‐pseudomonal agents were observed in these strains. Significance and Impact of the Study: This study is the first report on the antimicrobial resistance profiles of Ps. aeruginosa isolated from infected canine origin in China. Additionally, this is the first report of the oxacillin resistance gene bla_OXA‐31 in a canine Ps. aeruginosa isolate.     

Population genetic analysis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa using multilocus sequence typing

To study the population genetic structure of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, we developed a multilocus sequence typing scheme. The sequences of internal fragments of seven housekeeping genes were obtained for 34 P. aeruginosa isolates from patients hospitalized in five different European cities. Twenty-six different allelic profiles were identified. The mean allelic diversity was 0.854 (range: 0.606-0.978), which was about six times greater than the results obtained with the multilocus enzyme electrophoresis method. Linkage disequilibrium was measured with the index of association. An index of 1.95+/-0.24 was calculated when all the strains were considered. This index was 1.76+/-0.27 when only one strain per sequence type was considered. Both results were different from 0, indicating linkage among loci, which means that the population structure of our set of P. aeruginosa isolates is clonal. The clonal structure of the population was also suggested by the congruence of the topology of the different trees obtained from the seven housekeeping genes. These results are in contrast to previous studies, finding a non clonal population structure. Since a small number of isolates was analyzed in this study, there might be a bias of selection which includes the possibility that they belong to widely disseminated epidemic clones. Another possibility is that recombination did not occurred homogeneously throughout the genome of P. aeruginosa, so that part of it has a clonal structure, while the remaining part of the genome is more frequently subject to recombination.     

Cloning and restriction analysis of DNA conferring new quinolone antimicrobial agent resistance from Staphylococcus aureus and other coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species

DNA conferring resistance to new quinolone antimicrobial agents (NQR) in clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS), S. epidermidis and S. haemolyticus, was analyzed after cloning in Escherichia coli. The NQR phenotypes were expressed in E. coli at lower levels. NQR gene(s)-carring HindIII fragments were very similar to each other among S. aureus or CNS, although the S. aureus fragments differed from the CNS fragments in terms of the NQR phenotypes and restriction endonuclease maps. The data suggest the possibility that the NQR genes have disseminated in evolutionarily distinct routes among S. aureus and CNS.     

对一株铜绿假单胞菌22种耐药基因的研究

目的研究铜绿假单胞菌多重耐药情况和相关机制。方法采用聚合酶链反应（PCR）法对一株多重耐药铜绿假单胞菌进行β-内酰胺酶基因、氨基糖苷类修饰酶（AMEs）基因、喹诺酮类耐药基因、耐消毒剂基因（qacE△1-sul1）和整合酶基因检测,并对VIM基因进行了测序。结果PCR扩增结果显示该菌株aac（6′）-Ⅰb、blaCARB、gyrA、oprD2、ant（2″）-Ⅰ、qacE△1-sul1、blaIMP-I、blaTEM、blaVEB、aac（3）-Ⅱ、ant（3″）-Ⅰ、intⅠ1、blaVIM基因均为阳性,而aac（3）-Ⅰ、aac（6′）-Ⅱ、blaGES、blaGIM、blaOXA-10群、blaPER、blaSPM、blaSHV、blaDHA基因均为阴性,VIM基因扩增产物测序后经BLAST同源性分析表明为VIM-2型。结论铜绿假单胞菌存在多重耐药基因。管壁涂有季胺类、双胍类消毒剂和磺胺的II代导管的抑菌效果需重新评价。     

Regulation of virulence and antibiotic resistance by two-component regulatory systems in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

The Gram-negative opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa ubiquitously inhabits soil and water habitats and also causes serious, often antibiotic resistant, infections in immunocompromised patients (e.g. cystic fibrosis). This versatility is mediated in part by a large repertoire of two-component regulatory systems that appear instrumental in the regulation of both virulence processes and resistance to antimicrobials. Major two-component regulatory system proteins demonstrated to regulate these diverse processes include PhoP–PhoQ, GacA–GacS, RetS, LadS, and AlgR, among others. Here, we summarize the current body of knowledge of these and other two-component systems that provides insight into the complex regulation of virulence and resistance in P. aeruginosa .     

临床分离铜绿假单胞菌对氟喹诺酮类抗菌药物的耐药性检测

目的了解临床分离铜绿假单胞菌对喹诺酮类等抗菌药物的耐药性。方法琼脂稀释法测定86株铜绿假单胞菌对5种氟喹诺酮类抗菌药物以及头孢吡肟、美罗培南的耐药性。结果铜绿假单胞菌对诺氟沙星、氧氟沙星、左氧氟沙星、环丙沙星、加替沙星的耐药率分别为50%、61.6%、51.2%、48.8%、51.2%;对头孢吡肟和美罗培南的耐药率分别为30.2%、23.2%。结论铜绿假单胞菌对氟喹诺酮类抗菌药物耐药显著,临床应加强检测和监测。     

Characterization of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from dogs and cats in Japan: current status of antimicrobial resistance and prevailing resistance mechanisms

Seventy-three Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates were collected from dogs and cats in Japan to investigate antimicrobial susceptibility and resistance mechanisms to anti-pseudomonal agents. Resistance rates against orbifloxacin, enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, cefotaxime, aztreonam and gentamicin were 34.2, 31.5, 20.5, 17.8, 12.3 and 4.1%, respectively. The degree of resistance to cefotaxime, orbifloxacin, and enrofloxacin was greatly affected by efflux pump inhibitors, indicating overexpression of efflux pump contributes to these resistances. Notably, orbifloxacin and enrofloxacin resistance was observed even in isolates without mutations in the target sites. This is the first report on cephalosporin- and fluoroquinolone-resistant isolates of P. aeruginosa from Japanese companion animals.     

铜绿假单胞菌的临床分布和耐药性变迁

目的调查温州医学院附属第一医院铜绿假单胞菌的临床分布和耐药性及其变迁情况,指导临床合理用药和控制耐药菌的产生。方法对该院2003年至2005年437株铜绿假单胞菌进行回顾性分析,用17种抗菌药物进行体外药敏试验。结果铜绿假单胞菌分布以呼吸道感染和创口分泌物感染为主。细菌对第3代头孢菌素耐药率高,对头孢他啶、亚胺培南、头孢哌酮/舒巴坦和氟喹诺酮类药物的耐药率均有逐年增加的趋势。耐药率增加与临床广谱抗菌药物用药量增加有关。结论铜绿假单胞菌的耐药性十分突出,应在药敏指导下合理选用抗菌药物,应该适当控制碳青霉烯类和第3代头孢菌素的使用,减缓耐药菌株的产生。     

耐喹诺酮类铜绿假单胞菌的耐药性分析及血清学分型

目的了解广州地区喹诺酮类耐药铜绿假单胞菌的耐药性及泵抑制剂对其耐药水平降低的作用,并调查血清型分布情况。方法用法国生物梅里埃公司的微生物鉴定和药敏分析系统VITEK-2对127株铜绿假单胞菌进行鉴定和药敏检测,并采用羰酰氰基-对-氯苯胺(CCCP)与环丙沙星共同作用,以琼脂稀释法测定耐药菌的最低抑菌浓度(M IC)的变化,同时用玻片凝集法对耐药株进行血清学分型。结果环丙沙星耐药菌对哌拉西林/他唑巴坦(65.5%)的敏感率最高,只有阿米卡星(64.4%)、哌拉西林(51.7%)和妥布霉素(50.6%)的敏感率大于50.0%,而敏感菌对美罗培南(97.5%)及左氧氟沙星(97.5%)的敏感率最高,妥布霉素(95.0%)次之,对临床常用的13种抗生素,耐药菌较敏感菌的敏感性明显降低(P值均<0.001);耐药菌受泵抑制CCCP作用,M IC降低1~4个稀释度;血清分型率为93.1%,耐药菌的血清型以B型(20.7%)和L型(19.5%)为主。结论耐喹诺酮类铜绿假单胞菌对临床常用抗生素的敏感性降低,并呈多重耐药,使用抗生素 泵抑制剂可提高药物对铜绿假单胞菌的敏感性;血清学分型可以快速简单地监测铜绿假单胞菌在医院内的流行情况。     

301株铜绿假单胞菌的分布及耐药性分析

目的 通过对临床中分离的铜绿假单胞菌的分布及对临床常用13种抗生素的耐药性进行分析指导临床合理用药.方法 收集大连医科大学附属第二医院2010年1月至12月临床送检的标本,采用全自动细菌和药敏分析仪分离铜绿假单胞菌同时进行药敏试验.结果 铜绿假单胞菌在痰液标本中分离率高达79.06％;对头孢噻肟、头孢西丁、头孢唑啉3种药物的耐药率均大于50％;对头孢他啶,哌拉西林/他唑巴坦耐药率低于20％.结论 铜绿假单胞菌易产生多源耐药,加强耐药性监测,控制医院内感染,对临床医生选用有效的抗生素具有十分重要的意义.     

Cloning, nucleotide sequence and expression of a hemolysin gene of Clostridium septicum

Abstract A genomic library of Clostridium septicum NCTC547 strain was made in Escherichia coli by means of λgt10. The DNA insert of a hemolysin-positive (Hly⁺) λ-clone was transferred into pUC19. The resulting plasmid, pCS21, confers a Hly⁺ phenotype on E. coli . Crude lysates of E. coli (pCS21) possessed a strong lytic activity on human erythrocytes and also a lethal effect on mice, characteristic of an α toxin. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed that the insert DNA (5.2 kb) in pCS21 included at least one open reading frame of 1380 bp. The coding frame for hemolysin was predicted to be 1329 bp in size and to encode a protein of 49.8 kDa. It coincided with the molecular mass (48 kDa) of the α toxin secreted by C. septicum . Taken together, the data indicated that plasmid pCS21 indeed encoded an α toxin gene of C. septicum .     

Cloning and expression in Enterobacteriaceae of the extended-spectrum β-lactamase gene from a Pseudomonas aeruginosa plasmid

Abstract An extended-spectrum β-lactamase, the gene for which is located on plasmid pMS350 in Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains, hydrolyzes carbapenems and other extended-spectrum β-lactam antibiotics. We cloned the pMS350 β-lactamase gene in an Escherichia coli K-12 strain using the vector plasmid pHSG398, and subcloned it into pMS360, a plasmid with a wide host-range. This resulted in the formation of the recombinant plasmid, pMS363, containing a 4.1-kb DNA insert that includes the extended-spectrum β-lactamase gene. Plasmid pMS363 was introduced into the P. aeruginosa PAO strain or into six species of Enterobacteriaceae, and the specific activities of the β-lactamase and MICs of various β-lactam antibiotics were estimated. The cloned gene was capable of expression in these strains and caused resistance to carbapenem, penem and other β-lactam antibiotics, with the exception of aztreonam.     

Isolation and structure of a new integron that includes a streptomycin resistance gene from the R plasmid of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Abstract A new integron, located on the R plasmid of Pseudomonas aeruginosa , was isolated in Japan. This integron was made up of two conserved segments (5'- and 3'-conserved segments) and a single streptomycin resistance gene as a gene cassette. The structure of this integron resembles that of integron InC, the existence of which was postulated by Bissonnette and Roy (J. Bacteriol. 174, 1248–1257, 1992).     

Analysis of antibiotic resistance gene expression in Pseudomonas aeruginosa by quantitative real-time-PCR

In Pseudomonas aeruginosa many of the clinically relevant resistance mechanisms result from changes in gene expression as exemplified by the Mex drug efflux pumps, the AmpC beta-lactamase and the carbapenem-specific porin OprD. We used quantitative real-time-PCR to analyze the expression of these genes in susceptible and antibiotic-resistant laboratory and clinical strains. In nalB mutants, which overexpress OprM, we observed a four- to eightfold increase in the expression of mexA, mexB, and oprM genes. MexX and mexY genes were induced eight to 12 times in the presence of 2 mg L(-1) tetracycline. The mexC/oprJ and mexE/oprN gene expression levels were increased 30- to 250-fold and 100- to 760-fold in nfxB and nfxC mutants, respectively. We further found that in defined laboratory strains expression levels of ampC and oprD genes paralleled beta-lactamase activity and OprD protein levels, respectively. Our data support the use of quantitative real-time-PCR chain reaction for the analysis of the antimicrobial resistance gene expression in P. aeruginosa.     

Susceptibility and intrinsic tolerance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to selected plant volatile compounds

AIMS: To examine the causes for variations in sensitivity and intrinsic tolerance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to plant volatile compounds. METHODS AND RESULTS: Minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined for a selection of volatile phytochemicals against P. aeruginosa using a microdilution assay. Effects on growth were also assessed in 100-ml broth cultures. The two strains of P. aeruginosa included in the study exhibited intrinsic tolerance to all compounds, with the exception of carvacrol and trans-cinnamaldehyde. The protonophore carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone increased P. aeruginosa sensitivity to all compounds except trans-cinnamaldehyde, implicating an ATP-dependent efflux mechanism in the observed tolerance. Outer membrane integrity following treatment with test compounds was assessed by measuring sensitization to detergents. Only carvacrol caused damage to the outer membrane of P. aeruginosa. CONCLUSIONS: The intrinsic tolerance of P. aeruginosa strains to plant volatile compounds is associated with an active efflux mechanism and the barrier function of the outer membrane. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: These findings offer an explanation for the intrinsic tolerance to plant volatile compounds exhibited by P. aeruginosa. The study also confirms that the outer membrane-permeabilizing action of carvacrol, previously reported for the gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli and Salmonella, extends to monoterpene-tolerant strains of P. aeruginosa.     

Factors that influence the permeability assay of the outer membrane of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Brief exposure of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to a temperature of 10 degrees C or lower caused a significant leakage of the periplasmic beta-lactamase into the medium. The extent of leakage increased as the incubation temperature was lowered to 4 degrees C and reached a maximum at 0 degrees C. Cells grown in the presence of beta-lactamase inducers were unsuitable for the permeability assay. It was found that the diffusion rates of beta-lactams through the outer membrane of P. aeruginosa were much lower than those previously reported, as assayed under refined conditions. The diffusion rates of beta-lactams in one of the mutants tested were an order of magnitude lower than those of the other strains, despite the fact that the outer membrane protein profile of the strain appeared to be indistinguishable from those of the others. These results suggest that beta-lactam antibiotics diffuse through the outer membrane of P. aeruginosa, at least partly, through a non-porin pathway.     

126株铜绿假单胞菌的临床分布及耐药性分析

目的调查分析象山县中医医院铜绿假单胞菌的临床分布及药敏情况,为临床合理选用抗生素提供可靠的依据。方法采集疑似患者的标本,进行分离、培养与鉴定。采用自动微生物鉴定／药敏分析仪进行鉴定及药敏试验,对2012年7月至2013年10月分离出的126株铜绿假单胞菌（包括21株黏液型铜绿假单胞菌）的分布及耐药性进行回顾性分析。结果126株铜绿假单胞菌临床主要分布情况：痰占80．2％,尿液占11．1％,脓液占7．1％,以呼吸道感染为主。对铜绿假单胞菌保持活性较强同时耐药率〈20％的抗生素有阿米卡星、妥布霉素、亚胺培南、哌拉西林／他唑巴坦,其中碳青霉烯类耐药率升至5％,原来被认为抗铜绿假单胞菌较为有效的喹诺酮类抗生素的耐药率也有了很大提升,左氧氟沙星耐药率升至33％。黏液型铜绿假单胞菌的体外抗菌药物敏感试验耐药性较弱,且明显弱于非黏液型铜绿假单胞菌的耐药性。结论铜绿假单胞菌为医院呼吸道感染的常见致病菌,对多种抗菌药物呈不同程度耐药。加强动态监测,合理使用抗菌药物,对铜绿假单胞菌感染的预防和药物治疗具有重要指导意义。