Resumen

FERNANDEZ-FIGUEIRAS, Sandra  y  ALONSO, Guillermina. Conjugative plasmid and a class 1 integron responsible for the resistance to antibiotics in Vibrio cholerae O1 isolates in Venezuela. INHRR [online]. 2016, vol.47, n.1-2, pp.43-60. ISSN 0798-0477.

Vibrio cholerae has been reported to be resistant to a wide range of antibiotics. V. Cholerae O1 strains resistant to ampicillin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole were isolated for the first time in Venezuela during a cholera outbreak that occurred between November 1998 and January 2000. Using conjugation experiments, the capacity of transfer of the resistance determinants in 11 strains resistant to ampicillin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole was investigated. Plasmid analysis was done by S1 nuclease digestion and pulsed field gel electrophoresis. The presence of class 1 integrons was determined by PCR and the sequence of the gene harbored in the variable region of the integron was obtained. The antibiotic resistance determinants were transferred by a conjugative plasmid of approximately 170 kbp, common to all the isolates. Resistance to trimethoprim is encoded by the dfra15 gene that is harbored by a class 1 integron present in the plasmid. In this study, the genetic location of the determinants that code for resistance to antibiotics was characterized, and knowing the probable mechanism of dispersion of the determinants of resistance, control measures can be implemented most appropriate.

Palabras clave : Cholera; Vibrio cholerae; resistance to antibiotics; Plasmid; Class 1 integron; Trimethoprim; dfra15.