Low-virulence Citrobacter species encode resistance to multiple antimicrobials.

ABSTRACT: Citrobacter spp. are gram-negative commensal bacteria that infrequently cause serious nosocomial infections in compromised hosts. They are often resistant to cephalosporins due to overexpression of their chromosomal beta-lactamase. During a recent study of multidrug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (MDRE) in solid-organ transplant patients, we found that almost half of patients colonized with MDRE carried one or more cefpodoxime-resistant Citrobacter freundii, Citrobacter braakii, or Citrobacter amalonaticus strains. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis showed that 36 unique strains of Citrobacter were present among 32 patients. Genetic and phenotypic analysis of the resistance mechanisms of these bacteria showed that the extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) SHV-5 or SHV-12 was encoded by 8 str

SUBMITTER: Pepperell C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC128719 | biostudies-literature | 2002 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature