title: Characterization of integrons and antimicrobial resistance genes in clinical isolates of Gram-negative bacteria from Palestinian hospitals.
abstract: Sixty Gram-negative bacterial isolates were collected from Palestinian hospitals in 2006. Thirty-two (53.3%) isolates showed multidrug resistance phenotypes. PCR and DNA sequencing were used to characterize integrons and antimicrobial resistance genes. PCR screening showed that 19 (31.7%) and five (8.3%) isolates were positive for class 1 and class 2 integrons, respectively. DNA-sequencing results for the captured antimicrobial resistance gene cassettes within class 1 integrons identified the following genes: dihydrofolate reductases, dfrA1, dfrA5, dfrA7, dfrA12, dfrA17 and dfrA25; aminoglycoside adenyltransferases, aadA1, aadA2, aadA5, aadA12 and aadB; aminoglycoside acetyltransferase, aac(6')-Ib; and chloramphenicol resistance gene, cmlA1. ESBL were identified in 25 (41.7%) isolates. The identified ESBL were bla(CTX-M-15), bla(CTX-M-56), bla(OXA-1), bla(SHV-1), bla(SHV-12), bla(SHV-32) and bla(TEM-1) genes. Moreover, we characterized the plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance genes, aac(6')-Ib-cr and qnrB2, which were detected in seven (11.7%) and two (3.3%) isolates, respectively. In this study various types of antibiotic resistance genes have been identified in Gram-negative bacteria from Palestinian hospitals, many of which are reported in the Middle East area for the first time.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takaramachi, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan.
authors.forename: Amjad I A
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Hussein
authors.forename: Ashraf M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Maiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimamoto
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D032023:Integrons; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008877:Middle East; D010957:Plasmids; D015363:Quinolones / Q000494:pharmacology; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D015363:Quinolones; D001618:beta-Lactamases