Occurrence of class 1 and 2 integrons in resistant Enterobacteriaceae collected from a urban wastewater treatment plant: first report from central Italy.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence and distribution of integron-carrying isolates among Enterobacteriaceae resistant to β-lactam antibiotics collected from a wastewater effluent of the city of L'Aquila (Italy). A total of 471 Enterobacteriaceae were collected during a period of 2 years (2005-2006). The presence and distribution of class 1 and 2 integrons was investigated by colony blot hybridization using specific probes labelled with dUTP-fluoresceine kit. The variable region of class 1 and 2 integrons was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing in 24 isolates with different random amplified polymorphic DNA profile. The characterization of class 1 and 2 integrons gene cassettes of 24 nonrelated strains showed the presence of four different arrays: dfr17-aadA5; aadA10; dfr1-sat1; dfr1-sat1-aadA1. This is the first report from Italy in which the authors confirm the presence of Enterobacteriaceae carrying class 1 and 2 integrons in a wastewater treatment plant that collects the urban and hospital discharges.
Department of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
Cristina
C
Pellegrini
Giuseppe
G
Celenza
Bernardetta
B
Segatore
Pierangelo
P
Bellio
Domenico
D
Setacci
Gianfranco
G
Amicosante
Mariagrazia
M
Perilli
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D001483:Base Sequence; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004756:Enterobacteriaceae Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D032023:Integrons / Q000235:genetics*; D007558:Italy; D008506:Medical Waste / Q000032:analysis*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018440:beta-Lactam Resistance / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D008506:Medical Waste; D014873:Water Pollutants