A hospital epidemic caused by a multiple antibiotic resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae: implication of a conjugative R plasmid.
A R-plasmid of about 65 X 10(6) Md was found in several Klebsiella pneumoniae strains, responsible for an outbreak at the Lancisi Cardiological Hospital in Ancona. This plasmid was self-transferable and carried a "core" of resistance markers to ampicillin, carbenicillin and streptomycin; to this "core" the resistance markers to chloramphenicol, tetracycline, kanamycin and gentamicin can individually link, without appreciable changes in the molecular weight. We think that these Klebsiella pneumoniae strains are a potential reservoir of plasmid-mediated antibiotic resistance.
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D006801:Humans; D007710:Klebsiella Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007711:Klebsiella pneumoniae / Q000235:genetics*; D010957:Plasmids
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004269:DNA, Bacterial