title: Characterized of class I integron in Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from upper respiratory tract.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterize the class I integron in Acinetobacter baumannii and to analyze the correlation between integron and drug resistance.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total 187 strains were collected between 2008 and 2009. All strains were tested by Kirb-Bauer disk diffusion test for drug resistance. PCR and DNA sequencing were used to detected class I integrase gene and to clarify the context of gene cassette.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Class I integrase gene was detected in 100 (53.4%) of the isolates analyzed. Seven different gene cassettes were identified, including a new integron (GenBank: HQ322622) carrying an unknown protein probably associated with recombination. The vast majority of the cassettes encoded amonoglycoside resistance gene, including aacA4, aadA1, aacC1, aac6 II , aadA2. Susceptibility data show that strains carrying class I integron were significantly more resistant to all of the antibiotics tested than isolates lacking class I integron. The correlation between the presence of integron and the multidrug-resistance of A. baumannii was statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Drug resistance genes integrated by Class I integron were widespread in A. baumannii. Class I integron plays an important role in resistance of A. baumannii.
authors.affiliation: Infection Control Department, the First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical College, Guangzhou 510120, China. maopu1981@gmail.com
authors.forename: Pu
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Chun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jinglan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shan
authors.forename: Meiyi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Chang'an
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiaoqing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yimin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D040981:Acinetobacter baumannii / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D019426:Integrases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D032023:Integrons; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D019426:Integrases