Gene transfer, gentamicin resistance and enterococci.
Enterococci are versatile pathogens by virtue of their ability to exhibit low-level intrinsic resistance to clinically useful antibiotics and their tolerance to adverse environmental conditions. In the last 20 years these pathogens have become progressively more difficult to treat because of their aptitude for acquiring antibiotic-resistance genes. Of increasing concern is the rapid dissemination of the AAC6'-APH2" bi-functional aminoglycoside modifying enzyme. This enzyme confers high-level resistance to gentamicin and all other related aminoglycosides with the exception of streptomycin. The gene conferring this phenotype has been associated with both narrow and broad host range plasmids, and has recently been found on conjugative transposons. The nature of these conjugative elements raises the possibility of the resistance gene spreading to other pathogenic bacteria.
Simjee
S
S
University of Birmingham, Medical School, Department of Infection, Edgbaston, England.
Gill
M J
MJ
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements / Q000502:physiology; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial / Q000235:genetics*; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics*; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology*; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D010957:Plasmids / Q000502:physiology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D005839:Gentamicins