title: Occurrence of conjugative IncF-type plasmids harboring the blaCTX-M-15 gene in Enterobacteriaceae isolates from newborns in Tunisia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  CTX-M-15 is the dominant type of extended-spectrum β-lactamase in clinical isolates. This enzyme constitutes the most widespread enzymes in Tunisia. In this study, we were interested to understand the causes of the evolutionary success of CTX-M-15 in a Tunisian university hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of of 72 cefotaxime-resistant Enterobacteriaceae were isolated from newborn patients at the hospital Taher sfar Mahdia in Tunisia and characterized their genetic support by means of molecular techniques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Isolates were clustered into various clonal groups, although most isolates belonged to sequence types ST39 (Klebsiella pneumoniae) and ST131 (Escherichia coli). F replicons (FIA, FIB, and FII) were the most frequently detected replicon types in our collection (91.66%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first report of QnrB- and CTX-M-15-encoding large IncF-type conjugative plasmids in Tunisia.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology, Military Hospital of Tunis, Monfleury, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Hella
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lahlaoui
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biotechnology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Filomena
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Luca
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biotechnology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maradel
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology, Hospital Tahar Sfar, Mahdia, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Anis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ben-Haj-Khalifa
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology, Hospital Tahar Sfar, Mahdia, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Hechmi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ben Hamouda
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology, Hospital Tahar Sfar, Mahdia, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kheder
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology, Military Hospital of Tunis, Monfleury, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ben Moussa
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biotechnology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Gian-Maria
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Rossillini
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biotechnology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Jean-Denis
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Docquier
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D002439:Cefotaxime / Q000008:administration & dosage; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007710:Klebsiella Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D007711:Klebsiella pneumoniae / Q000235:genetics*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics*; D014416:Tunisia; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C473109:beta-lactamase CTX-M-15; D001618:beta-Lactamases; D002439:Cefotaxime