Cefamandole resistance transfer in bacterial strains from two newborn units

Transfer of Cefamandole resistance was demonstrated from strains of Citrobacter freundii as well as from individual strains of Enterobacter cloacae, Acinetobacter anitratus and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from patients in two newborn units. In Citrobacter freundii, Cefamandole resistance was transferred always with Cephalotin resistance as well as with a TEM-like beta lactamase (conferring resistance to Ampicillin, Carbenicillin and Azlocillin). Citrobacter freundii strains from Hospital I were completely susceptible to gentamicin, while strains of other species, resistant to Cefamandole plus Cephalotin, were resistant to Gentamicin as well, and transferred this resistance, too. In one Enterobacter cloacae strain from Hospital I, Cefamandole resistance could be separated from resistance to Cephalotin, but only in clones selected with gentamicin and not with any of the cephalosporins. Acinetobacter anitratus strain was also resistant to Cefotaxime, but did not transfer this resistance. It might be concluded that special nosocomial bacteria may carry plasmids conferring a transferable type of resistance to Cefamandole together with resistance to classical cephalosporines. Second cycle of transfers, i.e. between two variants of E. coli K-12 strains confirmed the contransferability of Cefamandole and Cephalotin resistance.