[Multidrug resistant clones of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the Czech Republic].
OBJECTIVE
To assess whether the high rate of antimicrobial resistance among bloodstream isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the Czech Republic is associated with the clonal spread of multidrug resistant (MDR) strains.


METHODS
A total of 30 bloodstream isolates obtained in 2007 were studied, including 20 MDR isolates (from 20 hospitals in 15 cities) and 10 susceptible control isolates. Each of the MDR isolates was resistant to at least three of the following agents: piperacillin, ceftazidime, meropenem, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, tobramycin. Isolates were investigated by multilocus sequence typing (MLST), macrorestriction analysis of genomic DNA (PFGE) and class 1 integron typing.


RESULTS
Nine MDR isolates belonged to multilocus seuence type (ST) 235, eight to ST 175 and each of the remaining isolates yielded a unique ST. The STs differed from each other in at least three alleles. Isolates of the same ST had highly similar PFGE profiles. Integrons were found in all MDR isolates but in none of the susceptible controls. Seven isolates with ST 235 harbored the same integron with a 1.9 kb variable region, while seven isolates with ST 175 shared an integron with a 1.6 kb variable region. Each of the remaining isolates yielded a unique integron.


CONCLUSIONS
The high prevalence of antibiotic resistance in Czech isolates of P. aeruginosa is likely to be associated with the spread of MDR clones, one of which (ST 235) belongs to international clonal complex CC11.
Nemec
Alexandr
A
National Institute of Public Health Prague, Prague, Czech Republic. anemec@szu.cz
Maixnerová
Martina
M
Musílek
Martin
M
D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics