Prevalence and degree of expression of the carbapenemase gene (cfiA) among clinical isolates of Bacteroides fragilis in Nottingham, UK.
The carbapenemase gene (cfiA) was detected in 12 (6.9%) out of 175 clinical isolates of Bacteroides fragilis from Nottingham, three times the frequency reported from France. Only one gene copy was present in all cases. Eleven (6.3%) of the cfiA-positive isolates were susceptible to imipenem or meropenem (MIC < 8 mg/L); strains of this type have the potential to convert to high-level resistance. One isolate (0.6%) displayed resistance to both carbapenem antibiotics and was associated with specific carbapenemase activity six times that of the sensitive isolates.
Edwards
R
R
Division of Microbiology and PHLS Laboratory, University Hospital, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK. richard.edwards@nottingham.ac.uk
Hawkyard
C V
CV
Garvey
M T
MT
Greenwood
D
D
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001441:Bacteroides fragilis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics*; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial / Q000502:physiology; D018628:Gene Dosage; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D015378:Imipenem / Q000494:pharmacology; D000077731:Meropenem; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D013845:Thienamycins / Q000494:pharmacology; D006113:United Kingdom; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000235:genetics*
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D013845:Thienamycins; D015378:Imipenem; D001618:beta-Lactamases; C063912:carbapenemase; D000077731:Meropenem