Susceptibility of Pediococcus spp. to antimicrobial agents.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the susceptibility of Pediococcus species to antimicrobial agents.


RESULTS
The susceptibility to 14 antimicrobial agents of 31 genotypically distinct strains of six Pediococcus species was assessed by using Etests on ISO-sensitest agar supplemented with horse blood. The species included were Pediococcus acidilactici, Pediococcus damnosus, Pediococcus dextrinicus, Pediococcus inopinatus, Pediococcus parvulus and Pediococcus pentosaceus. For several antimicrobial agents, some species were more susceptible than others. The two industrially important species, P. acidilactici and P. pentosaceus, differed with respect to erythromycin and trovafloxacin susceptibility, and in general both species had higher minimum inhibitory concentrations than the other species. In an erythromycin-resistant P. acidilactici, an erythromycin resistance methylase B [erm(B)] gene was identified by PCR. Using a plasmid preparation from strain P. acidilactici 6990, a previously erythromycin-sensitive Lactococcus lactis strain was made resistant. Transformants harboured a single plasmid, sized at 11.6 kb through sequence analysis. In addition, the erm(B) gene was identified within the plasmid sequence.


CONCLUSIONS
The phenotypic test indicated the absence of acquired antimicrobial resistance genes in 30 of the strains.


CONCLUSIONS
These results will help in selection of the best Pediococcus strains for use as starter cultures.
Danielsen
M
M
Chr. Hansen A/S, Hørsholm, Denmark. morten.danielsen@dk.chr-hansen.com
Simpson
P J
PJ
O'Connor
E B
EB
Ross
R P
RP
Stanton
C
C
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D007218:Industrial Microbiology; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D050296:Microbial Viability / Q000187:drug effects; D010376:Pediococcus / Q000187:drug effects*; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000032:analysis; D013045:Species Specificity
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S