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PER-1 is still widespread in Turkish hospitals among Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp

Fetiye Kolayli1, Gulcin Gacar, Aynur Karadenizli

  • 1Mikrobiyoloji ve Klinik Mikrobiyoloji AD, Kocaeli Universitesi, Turkey.

FEMS Microbiology Letters
|July 12, 2005
PubMed

Insights

The PER-1 beta-lactamase gene was detected in 31% of ceftazidime-resistant Acinetobacter spp. and 55.4% of Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates. This highlights the prevalence of this resistance mechanism in intensive care units.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

  • Beta-lactamases are enzymes that confer resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics.
  • PER-1 type beta-lactamases are a significant cause of resistance to third-generation cephalosporins like ceftazidime.
  • Acinetobacter spp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are common Gram-negative pathogens often associated with hospital-acquired infections and multidrug resistance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To screen for the presence of PER-1 type beta-lactamases in clinical isolates of Acinetobacter spp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
  • To determine the prevalence of the bla(PER-1) gene in ceftazidime-resistant strains of these bacteria.
  • To assess the potential contribution of PER-1 beta-lactamases to ceftazidime resistance in intensive care unit (ICU) settings.

Main Methods:

  • Collection of 176 non-repetitive clinical isolates (84 Acinetobacter spp., 92 P. aeruginosa) from seven university hospital ICUs over three months.
  • Screening of all isolates for the presence of bla(PER-1) alleles using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique.
  • Phenotypic confirmation of ceftazidime resistance in the selected isolates.

Main Results:

  • The bla(PER-1) gene was detected in 31% of the tested Acinetobacter spp. isolates.
  • A higher prevalence of the bla(PER-1) gene was observed in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, with 55.4% of isolates testing positive.
  • These findings indicate a significant presence of PER-1 beta-lactamase-producing strains among ceftazidime-resistant Acinetobacter and P. aeruginosa in the studied ICUs.

Conclusions:

  • PER-1 type beta-lactamases are prevalent among ceftazidime-resistant Acinetobacter spp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in clinical settings.
  • The high prevalence, particularly in P. aeruginosa, suggests a substantial role for PER-1 in mediating resistance to ceftazidime.
  • These results underscore the importance of surveillance for beta-lactamase-producing organisms in ICUs to guide antimicrobial therapy and infection control strategies.

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