1887

Abstract

SUMMARY

One hundred and thirty-nine bacteraemia strains of , representing different combinations of phage type and susceptibility to antibiotics and to cadmium (Cd), arsenate (As) and mercury (Hg), were investigated for penicillinase production. The determination of enzyme activity in induced and uninduced conditions was performed by iodometric titration. The amount of penicillinase produced could be correlated with phage pattern. Epidemically occurring strains of the 94,96 and the 83A complexes produced the largest amount of penicillinase, whereas strains of the 52, 52A, 80, 81 complex were weaker producers. Group-II and group-Ill strains produced the smallest amount.

Susceptibility to antibiotics and to Cd, As and Hg could not be correlated with enzyme activity, but strains resistant to penicillin plus tetracyclines and strains resistant only to Cd did produce less enzyme than strains with other resistance patterns. The percentage mean values of extracellularity of the enzyme was highest amongst strains of the 94,96 complex and of type 95. Four strains had constitutive production, one being macro-constitutive and three micro-constitutive. All four strains represented rare combinations of the above properties but were susceptible to fusidic acid. The importance of penicillinase production by epidemically occurring strains is discussed.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/00222615-16-4-391
1983-11-01
2024-12-02
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

/deliver/fulltext/jmm/16/4/medmicro-16-4-391.html?itemId=/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/00222615-16-4-391&mimeType=html&fmt=ahah

References

  1. Asheshov E. H. 1966; Loss of antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus resulting from growth at high temperature. Journal of General Microbiology 42:403–410
    [Google Scholar]
  2. Blair J.E., Williams R. E. O. 1961; Phage typing of staphylococci. Bulletin of the World Health Organization 24:771–784
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Boyce J. M., Causey W. A. 1982; Increasing occurrence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in the United States. Infection Control 3:377–383
    [Google Scholar]
  4. Ericsson H., Högman C., Wickman K. 1954; A paper disk method for determination of bacterial sensitivity to chemotherapeutic and antibiotic agents. Scandinavian Journal of Clinical Laboratory Investigation 6, suppl 11:21–36
    [Google Scholar]
  5. Lacey R. W., Rosdahl V. T. 1974; An unusual “penicillinase plasmid” in Staphylococcus aureus′, evidence for its transfer under natural conditions. Journal of Medical Microbiology 7:1–9
    [Google Scholar]
  6. Osowiecki H., Mlynarczyk A., Mlynarczyk G. 1981; Drug resistance in Staphylococcus aureus—genetic and biochemical basis. Zentralblatt für Bakteriologie, Mikrobiologie and Hygiene I. Abt. Orig., suppl 10:521–528
    [Google Scholar]
  7. Parker M. T. 1962; Phage-typing and the epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus infection. Journal of Applied Bacteriology 25:389–402
    [Google Scholar]
  8. Perret C. J. 1954; Iodometric assay of penicillinase. Nature, London 174:1012–1013
    [Google Scholar]
  9. Richmond M. H. 1963; Purification and properties of the exopenicillinase from Staphylococcus aureus. Biochemical Journal 88:452–459
    [Google Scholar]
  10. Richmond M. H., Parker M. T., Jevons M. P., John M. 1964; High penicillinase production correlated with multiple antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus. Lancet 1:293–296
    [Google Scholar]
  11. Rosdahl V. T., Rosendal K. 1980; Resistance to cadmium, arsenate, and mercury among Danish strains of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from cases of bacteriaemia, 1957–74. Journal of Medical Microbiology 13:383–391
    [Google Scholar]
  12. Rosendal K., Bentzon M. W. Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated in Danish hospitals from January 1st 1975 to December 31st 1980. Acta Pathologica et Microbiologica Scandinavica In press
    [Google Scholar]
  13. Rosendal K., Bulow P., Bentzon M. W., Eriksen K. R. 1976; Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated in Danish hospitals from January 1st, 1966 to December 31st, 1974. Acta Pathologica et Microbiologica Scandinavica sect. B 84:359–368
    [Google Scholar]
  14. Rosendal K., Jessen O. 1964; Epidemic spread of Staphylococcus aureus phage type 83 A. Acta Pathologica et Microbiologica Scandinavica 60:571–576
    [Google Scholar]
  15. Rosendal K., Jessen O., Bentzon M. W., Bulow P. 1977; Antibiotic policy and spread of Staphylococcus aureus strains in Danish hospitals 1969–1974. Acta Pathologica et Microbiologica Scandinavica sect. B 85:143–152
    [Google Scholar]
  16. Shanson D. C. 1981; Antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Journal of Hospital Infection 2:11–36
    [Google Scholar]
  17. Thomsen V. F. 1962; Correlation of the plate-dilution method to the agar diffusion method (disc- and tablet-methods) with a special view to the importance of pre-diffusion. Acta Pathologica et Microbiologica Scandinavica 54:107–120
    [Google Scholar]
  18. Thomsen V. F. 1964; The relation between inoculum and zone size in sensitivity tests by the agar diffusion method: With a special view to the importance of pre-diffusion. Acta Pathologica et Microbiologica Scandinavica 61:303–316
    [Google Scholar]
/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/00222615-16-4-391
Loading
/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/00222615-16-4-391
Loading

Data & Media loading...

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error