MERCURY RESISTANCE AND R PLASMIDS IN CLINICAL ISOLATES OF KLEBSIELLA PNEUMONIAE

Abstract

The Hg and antibiotic resistance of 155 (human) clinical isolates of K. pneumoniae was determined. Resistance to Hg was found in 64.5% of the total isolates. The frequencies of resistance to streptomycin (SM), tetracycline (TC), chloramphenicol (CP), kanamycin (KM) and gentamicin (GM) were 65.8%, 49.0%, 48.4%, 37.4% and 3.9%, respectively. Ninety-four Hg and drug strains were tested for ability to transfer resistance to Hg and drug sensitive recipients of Escherichia coli K12 ML1410-Nx and E. coli JE 17-Rif. Among 94 strains of Hg resistant K. pneumoniae, 86 R plasmids with Hg resistance could be demonstrated. Transferable R plasmids with Hg resistance were demonstrated 92% of the Hg-resistant isolates. Furthermore, R (Hg; SM, TC, CP, KM) plasmids were isolated most frequently, followed by R (Hg; SM, TC, CP), R (Hg;SM, KM) and R (Hg; SM, TC) plasmids.