title: [Presence of metallo beta-lactamases in imipenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Metallo-beta-lactamases (MBL) confer high resistance to carbapenems in Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Psae). They are encoded in mobile elements of different genes (VIM, IMP, SMP, GIM), along with other resistance genes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To detect the presence of MBL in imipenem resistant Psae strains.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-nine imipenem resistant Psae strains isolated from January 2004 to August 2005 in a University Clinical Hospital, were included. The presence of MBL was studied by Etest (phenotypic) and genotypic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods. To rule out a nosocomial outbreak, MBL positive strains were studied by pulse field gel electrophoresis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The presence of MBL was detected in eleven strains. AH were type VIM and were not clonally related. There was no concordance between phenotypic and genotypic MBL detecting methods. All the strains were also multiresistant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of MBL was detected in 19% of imipenem resistant Psae strains.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Laboratorios Clínicos, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pérez I
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: García C
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Poggi M
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Braun J
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Castillo V
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Román
authors.forename: Marcela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lagos
authors.forename: Eliana
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Romeo O
authors.forename: Lorena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Porte T
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Labarca L
authors.forename: Gerardo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: González R