[An investigation into antibiotic resistance and plasmid pattern of Enterobacter cloacae in burn infection]

In view of a high positive isolation rate and resistance to antibiotics of Enterobacter cloacae in our department, 32 strains of E. cloacae, which were isolated from blood and infected wounds of burned patients from June through November 1990, were randomly selected to determine their susceptibility to 21 antibiotics and their plasmid patterns. It was found that 29 of 32 strains were resistant to at least nine antibiotics, while the other three strains were relatively sensitive. 27 of 32 strains of E. cloacae were tested for plasmid, and among them, three strains (relatively sensitive to antibiotics) contained no plasmid. The plasmid patterns of the other 24 isolates varied with strains, but all of them had a 80 kb plasmid. The 80 kb plasmid was obviously related to the high isolation rate and high resistance to antibiotics of E. cloacae isolated in our department.