Importation of organisms producing broad-spectrum SHV-group β-lactamases into the United Kingdom

Abstract

We report the isolation of three strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae sensu lato, brought into the United Kingdom by patients from Greece and Egypt, that showed plasmid-determined resistance to ceftazidime. All three produced β-lactamases shown by DNA hybridisation studies to belong to the SHV group. One produced an enzyme that appeared to be related to, but distinguishable from, SHV-1; another SHV-2 and the third SHV-5.