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Transferable 5-nitroimidazole resistance in the Bacteroides fragilis group

J Breuil1, A Dublanchet, N Truffaut

  • 1Laboratoire de Microbiologie, Centre Hospitalier, Villeneuve Saint Georges, France.

Plasmid
|March 1, 1989
PubMed

Insights

A specific strain of Bacteroides vulgatus (BV17) shows moderate resistance to 5-nitroimidazoles. This resistance is linked to a 7.7 kb plasmid (pIP417), transferable to other bacteria.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Genetics
  • Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

  • Bacteroides vulgatus is a common gut bacterium.
  • 5-nitroimidazoles are crucial antibiotics.
  • Antibiotic resistance in bacteria is a growing public health concern.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize a strain of Bacteroides vulgatus (BV17) exhibiting 5-nitroimidazole resistance.
  • To identify the genetic elements responsible for this resistance.

Main Methods:

  • Plasmid profiling of B. vulgatus BV17.
  • Transformation and conjugation experiments to transfer plasmids.
  • Replication studies in sensitive bacterial strains.

Main Results:

  • B. vulgatus BV17 carries plasmids of 4.5, 5, 7.7, and 56 kb.
  • A 7.7 kb plasmid (pIP417) harbors the genetic determinant for 5-nitroimidazole resistance.
  • pIP417 can be transferred and replicated in B. fragilis 638R via transformation and conjugation.
  • Conjugal transfer may be facilitated by a 56 kb conjugative plasmid (pIP418).

Conclusions:

  • A novel plasmid-mediated resistance mechanism to 5-nitroimidazoles in Bacteroides vulgatus has been identified.
  • The 7.7 kb plasmid pIP417 is central to this resistance.
  • Understanding these mechanisms is vital for combating antimicrobial resistance.

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