Penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae in the Netherlands: epidemiology and genetic and molecular characterization of their plasmids.
Penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains were isolated in the Netherlands with increasing frequency during the period of 1976 to 1979. About 3% of the gonococci isolated in the first half of 1979 produced penicillinase. In contrast to the period of 1976 to 1977, most penicillinase-producing N. gonorrhoeae infections during the period of 1978 to 1979 were contracted in the Netherlands. The results of genetic and molecular studies on 80 penicillinase-producing N. gonorrhoeae strains were similar to earlier observations of others: resistance plasmids of only two sizes, 4.5 and 3.3 megadaltons (Md), occurred in penicillinase-producing N. gonorrhoeae strains, and these encoded for the TEM-1 enzyme. The 4.5-Md plasmid could be transferred to Escherichia coli when it coexisted with a plasmid of 24 Md. The latter plasmid was present in the vast majority of the strains carrying the 4.5-Md plasmid. One strain carried a cryptic 7.5-Md plasmid in addition to the commonly found 2.5-Md plasmid. Two penicillinase-producing strains of Haemophilus parainfluenzae isolated were found to carry a 3.3-Md plasmid species which was indistinguishable from the 3.3-Md gonococcal resistance plasmids. No plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid was found in two strains of penicillinase-producing Branhamella catarrhalis, and these strains produced a penicillinase different from the TEM-1 enzyme.
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D009426:Netherlands; D010405:Penicillinase / Q000378:metabolism*; D010957:Plasmids; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000378:metabolism*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D010405:Penicillinase; D001618:beta-Lactamases