Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-r6qrq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-26T08:59:46.421Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Molecular studies of plasmids of multiply-resistant Shigella spp. in Hong Kong

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

J. M. Ling ,
P. C. Shaw ,
K. M. Kam ,
A. F. Cheng  and
G. L. French
J. M. Ling
Affiliation:
Department of Microbiology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, The Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong
P. C. Shaw
Affiliation:
Department of Biochemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong
K. M. Kam
Affiliation:
Pathology Institute, Sai Ying Pun Hospital, Hong Kong
A. F. Cheng
Affiliation:
Department of Microbiology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, The Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong
G. L. French
Affiliation:
Department of Microbiology, UMDS, Guy’s Hospital, London, SE1 9RT, UK
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

One hundred and two Shigella spp. isolated in two hospitals in Hong Kong were analysed for antibiotic resistances, resistance plasmids and plasmid profiles. Three quarters of the isolates were S.flexneri. All isolates harboured plasmids, up to a maximum of ten within one strain. Plasmids of 220 kb encoding resistances to tetracycline, chloramphenicol and sulphonamide and probably also associated with invasivenes in the Sereny test were found in 80 strains and were transferable in 18% of cases. Resistance plasmids of 92 and 99 kb were found in 27 and 15 strains respectively and encoded resistances to ampicillin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, kanamycin, sulphonamide, trimethoprim, cotrimoxazole and gentamicin; these plasmids were usually transferable. Four plasmids of 3·9, 2·8, 2·2 and 1·8 kb were commonly found in S. flexneri strains, but were rare in other species. In contrast, there was no predominant plasmid profile in S. sonnei. S. flexneri is endemic in Hong Kong and these plasmid studies suggest that the strains in circulation are derived from only a few clones.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 110 , Issue 3 , June 1993 , pp. 437 - 446
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1993

References

REFERENCES

1.Ling, J, Kam, KM, Lam, AW, French, GL. Susceptibilities of Hong Kong isolates of multiply resistant Shigella spp. to 25 antimicrobial agents, including ampicillin plus sulbactam and new 4-quinolones. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1988; 32: 20–3.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2.Anderson, ES, Threlfall, EJ. The characterisation of plasmids in the Enterobacteria. J Hyg 1974; 72: 471–87.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3.Hanahan, D. Studies on transformation of Escherichia coli with plasmids. J Mol Biol 1983; 166: 557–80.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4.Kado, CI, Liu, ST. Rapid procedure for detection and isolation of large and small plasmids. J Bacteriol 1981; 145: 1365–75.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5.Ling, JM, Zhou, GM, Woo, THS, French, GL. Antimicrobial susceptibilities and βlactamase production of Hong Kong isolates of gastroenteric salmonellae and Salmonella typhi. J Antimicrob Chemother, 1991; 28: 877–85.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6.Ling, J, Ling, KLE, Chan, KW, French, GL. Computer programs for accurate determination of size of DNA fragments in agarose gels. J Clin Pathol 1987; 40: 692–5.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7.Sereny, B. Experimental Shigella keratoconjunctivitis. Acta Microbiol Acad Sci Hung 1955; 2: 293–6.Google ScholarPubMed
8.Chun, D, Cho, DT, Seol, SY, Suh, MH, Lee, YC. R plasmids conferring multiple drug resistance from shigella isolated in Korea. J Hyg 1984; 92: 153–60.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9.Frost, JA, Rowe, B. Plasmid-determined antibiotic resistance in Shigella flexneri isolated in England and Wales between 1974 and 1978. J Hyg 1983; 90: 27–32.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10.Silva, RM, Toledo, MFR, Trabulsi, LR. Correlation of invasiveness with plasmid in enteroinvasive strains of Escherichia coli. J Infect Dis 1982; 146: 706.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11.Sansonetti, PJ, Hale, TL, Dammin, GJ, Kapfer, C, Collins, HH Jr, Formal, SB. Alterations in the pathogenicity of Escherichia coli K12 after transfer of plasmid and chromosomal genes from Shigella flexneri. Infect Immun 1983; 39: 1392–402.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12.Marranzano, M, Giammanco, G, d’Hauteville, H, Sansonetti, P. Epidemiological markers of Shigella sonnei infections: R-plasmid fingerprinting, phage-typing and biotyping. Ann Inst Pasteur/Microbiol 1985; 136A: 339–45.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13.Haider, K, Huq, MI, Samadi, AR, Ahmad, K. Plasmid characterization of Shigella spp. isolated from children with shigellosis and asymptomatic excretors. J Antimicrob Chemother 1985; 16: 691–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14.Sakaguchi, S, Sakaguchi, T, Arai, T. A survey of plasmids in the clinically isolated Shigella strains and their invasive ability and antibiotic resistances. Kitasato Arch of Exp Med 1986: 59: 1–7.Google ScholarPubMed
15.Gebre-Yohannes, A, Drasar, BS. Molecular epidemiology of plasmid patterns in Shigella flexneri types 1–6. Epidemiol Infect 1991; 107: 321–34.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16.Jamieson, AF, Bremner, DA, Bergquist, PL, Lane, HED. Characterization of plasmids from antibiotic-resistant Shigella isolates by agarose gel electrophoresis. J Gen Microbiol 1979; 113: 73–81.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
17.Albert, MJ, Singh, KV, Murray, BE, Erlich, J. Molecular epidemiology of shigella infection in Central Australia. Epidemiol Infect 1990; 105: 51–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed