title: Determination of beta-lactamase activities and antibiotic susceptibility of some Bacillus strains causing food poisoning.
abstract: Some Bacillus species are important food pathogens. For example, B. cereus is an opportunistic pathogen found in raw milk that is a common cause of food poisoning. It is of interest to investigate the virulant profiles of Bacillus strains isolated from foods and samples associated with food-poisoning outbreaks. Nineteen Bacillus strains were isolated from various milk samples. Beta-lactamase enzyme activities of these Bacillus strains were evaluated with iodometric and chromogenic cephalosporin (nitrocefin) test methods. Five of 19 Bacillus strains isolated were positive for beta-lactamase activity. Clavulanate-amoxycillin and cephazolin were chosen to test the antibiotic susceptibilities of the beta-lactamase positive and negative Bacillus strains. Of the five beta-lactamase positive Bacillus strains, three were susceptible, and two strains intermediate to clavulanate-amoxycillin; one was susceptible, and four strains were intermediate to cephazolin. None of the beta-lactamase positive Bacillus strains was resistant to both antibiotics. Of the 14 beta-lactamase negative strains, five were susceptible to clavulanate-amoxycillin, four strains were intermediate, and five strains were resistant; three were susceptible, one intermediate, and ten beta-lactamase negative strains were resistant to cephazolin.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science and Arts, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey. h_simsek@hotmail.com
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Uraz
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Simşek
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Maraş
mesh_terms: D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001407:Bacillus / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology*; D002437:Cefazolin / Q000494:pharmacology; D019818:Clavulanic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000494:pharmacology; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008892:Milk / Q000382:microbiology*; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019818:Clavulanic Acid; D000658:Amoxicillin; D001618:beta-Lactamases; D002437:Cefazolin