Abstract

GUZMAN, Militza  and  ALONSO, Guillermina. Class 1 integrons associated to plasmids in Klebsiella pneumoniae strains. Rev. Soc. Ven. Microbiol. [online]. 2008, vol.28, n.2, pp.105-109. ISSN 1315-2556.

Integrons are genetic elements able to capture resistance genes, usually located in plasmids and responsible for dissemination of resistance in Gram negative bacilli. The presence of class 1 integrons and its association with plasmids in 23 multiresistant Klebsiella pneumoniae strains, isolated from different services of hospital “Antonio Patricio de AlcalᔠSucre-Venezuela was studied. By bacterial conjugation and polymerase chain reaction the transference of resistance determinants and the presence of integrons class 1 were evaluated. All isolates were resistant to ceftazidime and aztreonam. Conjugation assays demonstrated the presence of conjugative plasmids in all K. pneumoniae strains analyzed. Integrons were detected in 10 (43.47%) isolates. One integron element was present in nine strains and two elements in one single strain. Integrons identified were associated a plasmids. The presence of integrons class 1 carried by plamids must play an important role in the epidemiology of antibiotic resistance in clinical strains.

Keywords : plasmids; resistance; integron.