[Intercontinental spread of a trimethoprim-resistant strain of Shigella flexneri].
BACKGROUND
In this study we characterize a trimethoprim-resistant strain of Shigella flexneri recovered from stool samples of an international traveler after a trip to Kenya, and analyze its epidemiological relationship with a set of strains having similar characteristics from Tanzania.


METHODS
Clonal relationships were studied by three techniques - plasmid profile, repetitive-element (REP)-PCR and pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The presence of type 1 integrons was studied by PCR and sequencing. The location and transferability of the detected integron was analyzed by conjugation and PCR.


RESULTS
The epidemiological studies showed that all six strains studied belonged to the same clone. Furthermore, all of them carried the same gene encoding for trimethoprim resistance (dfrA7), which was located in an integron within a chromosome.


CONCLUSIONS
Continuous epidemiological surveillance is required to control the spread of pathogenic microorganisms and the dissemination of resistance-encoding genes among geographical areas.
Navia
Margarita M
MM
Servicio de Microbiología. Institut Clínic d'Infeccions i Immunologia. IDIBAPS. Facultat de Medicina. Universitat de Barcelona. Hospital Clínic. Barcelona. España.
Ruiz
Joaquim
J
Vila
Jordi
J
D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D004351:Drug Resistance / Q000235:genetics; D004405:Dysentery, Bacillary / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D032023:Integrons / Q000235:genetics; D007630:Kenya; D012307:Risk Factors; D012763:Shigella flexneri / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013030:Spain; D013636:Tanzania; D013762:Tetrahydrofolate Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics; D014195:Travel; D014295:Trimethoprim / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D014295:Trimethoprim; D013762:Tetrahydrofolate Dehydrogenase