title: Detection and characterization of metallo-beta-lactamases in Pseudomonas aeruginosa by phenotypic and molecular methods from clinical samples in a tertiary care hospital.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to detect and characterize the presence of metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL) production in multidrug resistant (MDR) P. aeruginosa collected from clinical samples in a tertiary care hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 67 non-repetitive isolates of MDR P. aeruginosa recovered from various clinical specimens were screened for MBL production by IPM/MEM-EDTA combined disc test. Polymerase chain reaction was performed on all isolates using bla(IMP) and bla(VIM) consensus primers to characterize them genotypically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 67 P. aeruginosa isolates, 62.7% (42/67) and 70.1% (47/67) were resistant to imipenem and meropenem respectively and 47 (70.1%) were found to be MBL producers. Among this 47 MBL-producing isolates, 41 (61.1%) strains carried the bla(VIM) gene and 2 (3%) strains carried the bla(IMP) gene. Three strains were phenotypically negative but positive genotypically for bla(VIM) gene. One strain was resistant to both imipenem and meropenem but did not show phenotypic positivity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study confirms the dissemination of bla(VIM) genes among MDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa and hence it is indispensible to identify and aptly control the threat of horizontal and vertical transfer.
authors.affiliation: Central Leprosy-Teaching and Research Institute, Chengalpattu, India.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Arunagiri
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sekar
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sangeetha
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: John
mesh_terms: D052978:Disk Diffusion Antimicrobial Tests; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D005838:Genotype; D015378:Imipenem / Q000494:pharmacology; D000077731:Meropenem; D010641:Phenotype; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D063128:Tertiary Health Care; D013845:Thienamycins / Q000494:pharmacology; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D013845:Thienamycins; D015378:Imipenem; D001618:beta-Lactamases; D000077731:Meropenem