Phenotypic properties, drug susceptibility and genetic relatedness of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia clinical strains from seven hospitals in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate phenotypic aspects including biotyping, drug susceptibility and production of extracellular enzymes and genetic diversity of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia clinical strains obtained from seven hospitals in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.


RESULTS
Thirty-nine S. maltophilia strains were investigated by biotying, susceptibility testing, extracellular enzymes detection and by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR. Biotyping distinguished 13 biotypes among 39, and one of them was prevalent. The majority of the strains produced DNase, gelatinase and haemolysin. Protease, lipases and phospholipase C activities were observed in highly variable amounts. None of the strains was elastase producer. The percentage of full susceptibility, by agar dilution, was 100, 94.8, 81.6 and 26.3% for trimethoprim/sulphametoxazole, ticarcillin/clavulanate, ciprofloxacin and ceftazidime, respectively. Thirty-three RAPD-PCR profiles were obtained suggesting multiple sources of acquisition.


CONCLUSIONS
The results pointed out the necessity of monitoring S. maltophilia especially in critical hospital wards, to assure effective control measures.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite of the genetic diversity among the strains, in two situations it was observed indistinguishable RAPD-PCR profiles among strains isolated from different patients who had been hospitalized in the same hospital ward, suggesting the possibility of nosocomial transmission that until now has been rarely related.
Travassos
L H
LH
Disciplina de Microbiologia e Imunologia, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
Pinheiro
M N
MN
Coelho
F S
FS
Sampaio
J L M
JL
Merquior
V L C
VL
Marques
E A
EA
D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques / Q000379:methods; D001938:Brazil; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D010641:Phenotype; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D011817:Rabbits; D012756:Sheep; D020615:Stenotrophomonas maltophilia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D010450:Endopeptidases