The inactivation of intrinsic antibiotic resistance determinants widens the mutant selection window for quinolones in Stenotrophomonas maltophilia

Abstract

We have determined that the mutational inactivation of the SmeDEF efflux pump and the SmQnr quinolone resistance protein widens the mutant selection windows for ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia by reducing their MICs. Resistant mutants arising from a strain lacking SmeDEF and SmQnr presented levels of susceptibility similar to those of the wild-type strain. This indicates that inactivation of intrinsic resistance determinants might increase the chances for selecting resistant mutants at low antibiotic concentrations. Copyright © 2012, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.