Detection and characterization of Enterobacteriaceae producing metallo-β-lactamases in a tertiary-care hospital in Spain

Abstract

Carbapenem-resistant or intermediate (MIC ≥1 mg/L) clinical isolates (. n = 12) of three species of . Enterobacteriaceae (. Klebsiella pneumoniae, . Klebsiella oxytoca and . Escherichia coli) were characterized. The isolates harboured integrons containing the VIM-1 metallo-β-lactamase gene together with other resistance gene cassettes. In particular, the CTX-M-2 gene was detected in four of the . K. pneumoniae isolates. The patient population was mostly paediatric and characterized by severe underlying illnesses that involved long-term hospitalization, major surgery and/or immunosuppressive and broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy. © 2009 The Authors. Journal Compilation © 2009 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.