Heavy Metal Resistance Genes Are Associated with blaNDM-1- and blaCTX-M-15-Carrying Enterobacteriaceae

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2018 Apr 26;62(5):e02642-17. doi: 10.1128/AAC.02642-17. Print 2018 May.

Abstract

The occurrence of heavy metal resistance genes in multiresistant Enterobacteriaceae possessing blaNDM-1 or blaCTX-M-15 genes was examined by PCR and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis with S1 nuclease. Compared with clinical susceptible isolates (10.0% to 30.0%), the pcoA, merA, silC, and arsA genes occurred with higher frequencies in blaNDM-1-positive (48.8% to 71.8%) and blaCTX-M-15-positive (19.4% to 52.8%) isolates, and they were mostly located on plasmids. Given the high association of metal resistance genes with multidrug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, increased vigilance needs to be taken with the use of heavy metals in hospitals and the environment.

Keywords: blaCTX-M-15; blaNDM-1; coresistance; heavy metal resistance; plasmids.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial
  • Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field
  • Enterobacteriaceae / drug effects*
  • Enterobacteriaceae / genetics*
  • Metals, Heavy / pharmacology*
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Plasmids / genetics
  • beta-Lactamases / genetics
  • beta-Lactamases / metabolism

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Metals, Heavy
  • beta-Lactamases
  • beta-lactamase NDM-1