title: Molecular detection of GES-2 extended spectrum Beta-lactamase producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Pretoria, South Africa.
abstract: Screening for and detection of the novel extended spectrum Beta-lactamase (ESBL), GES-2 produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa remains a problem in the clinical microbiology laboratory. This study aimed to compare the normally used ESBL screening agent ceftazidime, with molecular detection, to demonstrate the presence of GES-2 ESBL production in clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa. Ceftazidime was found unreliable as an ESBL screening agent, with a specificity of 34.4%, when National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards resistance criteria for P. aeruginosa were employed. An improved PCR detection method was devised, that amplified a 371 bp segment of bla(GES-2). This should lead to more cost-effective DNA sequencing and sequence interpretation in the laboratory.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0001, South Africa. gweldhagen@medic.up.ac.za
authors.forename: Gerhard F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Weldhagen
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prinsloo
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000201:enzymology*; D013019:South Africa; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; C435769:beta-lactamase GES-2; D001618:beta-Lactamases