title: The integron prevalence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing enterobacterial isolates in a Malaysian teaching hospital.
abstract: The increased frequency of antibiotic resistance is known to be associated with   the dissemination of integrons in the Enterobacteriaceae. This study determined the prevalence   and type of integrons amongst 160 extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing   enterobacterial isolates kept in our culture collection. Integrons were detected in 98(61.3%)   isolates, including 28(62.2%) Escherichia coli, 34(64.2%) Klebsiella spp., 27(61.4%), Enterobacter   spp. and 9(50.0%) Citrobacter spp. investigated in this study. Restriction analysis of the   integron gene fragments revealed that class I integron was the principal integron detected in   92(57.5%) of our isolates. Class II integron was detected in 6(3.8%) of our isolates, while no   class III integron was detected in this study. The high rates of integron prevalence particularly   of the class I integron in the E. coli and Klebsiella spp. concur with previous studies in other   geographical regions. The higher (≥50%) integron prevalence of Citrobacter and Enterobacter   isolates comparing to previous studies suggests the potential of these isolates as sources for   dissemination of resistance determinants. The finding in this study serves as a basis for   further study on the antibiotic resistance mechanisms of enterobacterial species in this   teaching hospital.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Wajidi
authors.forename: M Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Yusof
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Tay
mesh_terms: D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004756:Enterobacteriaceae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D032023:Integrons; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D001618:beta-Lactamases