Skip Navigation



JAC Advance Access published online on October 20, 2005
Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, doi:10.1093/jac/dki377
This Article
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
56/6/1019    most recent
dki377v1
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Sunde, M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Sunde, M.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© The Author 2005. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org
Received July 1, 2005
Revised September 18, 2005
Accepted September 21, 2005

Original article

Prevalence and characterization of class 1 and class 2 integrons in Escherichia coli isolated from meat and meat products of Norwegian origin

Marianne Sunde 1*

1 Section of Bacteriology, National Veterinary Institute, 0033 Oslo, Norway

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Marianne Sunde, E-mail: marianne.sunde{at}vetinst.no


  Abstract

Objectives: The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of integrons and to characterize inserted gene cassettes in Escherichia coli isolated from meat and meat products of Norwegian origin.

Methods: The strains investigated (n = 241 resistant out of 944 investigated) were collected within the frame of the Norwegian monitoring programme for antimicrobial resistance in bacteria from feed, food and animals (NORM-VET) during the years 2000-2003. PCR and DNA sequencing were used for detection of the integrase genes and gene cassettes within the integrons.

Results: Integrons were detected in 43 (18%) of the 241 resistant isolates. Class 1 integrons were detected in 29 (12%) strains and class 2 integrons were detected in 14 (6%) strains. Ten different gene cassettes were detected: dfrA1, dfr2a, dfrA12, aadA1, aadA2, catB2, oxa-30, sat, sat1 and orfF. The dfrA1 + aadA1 combination was the most prevalent cassette combination, detected in 12 of 29 class 1 integrons. Twelve (of 14) class 2 integrons contained a cassette area consistent with that on Tn7, the remaining two contained the cassettes sat + sat1 + aadA1. Nearly one-third of the class 1 integrons (9 of 29) lacked the sul1 gene. Ten gene cassettes (one dfr2a, two catB2 and seven aadA1) were expressed at levels below breakpoint values normally used to classify strains as resistant.

Conclusions: Integrons of class 1 or 2 were present in ~18% of the resistant E. coli strains investigated. Certain cassette combinations in class 1 integrons seem to be more widespread than others, like the dfrA1 + aadA1. Low-level expression of antimicrobial resistance, caused by the expression of certain gene cassettes in some integrons represents an obstacle in classifying strains as susceptible or resistant.

Keywords: gene cassettes; antibiotic resistance monitoring programme; resistant bacteria in food.
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Vet Rec.Home page
H. Radhouani, P. Poeta, G. Igrejas, A. Goncalves, L. Vinue, and C. Torres
Antimicrobial resistance and phylogenetic groups in isolates of Escherichia coli from seagulls at the Berlengas nature reserve
Vet Rec., August 1, 2009; 165(5): 138 - 142.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J Antimicrob ChemotherHome page
L. Vinue, Y. Saenz, S. Somalo, E. Escudero, M. A. Moreno, F. Ruiz-Larrea, and C. Torres
Prevalence and diversity of integrons and associated resistance genes in faecal Escherichia coli isolates of healthy humans in Spain
J. Antimicrob. Chemother., November 1, 2008; 62(5): 934 - 937.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Appl. Environ. Microbiol.Home page
T. T. H. Van, G. Moutafis, L. T. Tran, and P. J. Coloe
Antibiotic Resistance in Food-Borne Bacterial Contaminants in Vietnam
Appl. Envir. Microbiol., December 15, 2007; 73(24): 7906 - 7911.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J Antimicrob ChemotherHome page
A. Tsakris, A. Ikonomidis, N. Spanakis, A. Poulou, and S. Pournaras
Characterization of In3Mor, a new integron carrying VIM-1 metallo-{beta}-lactamase and sat1 gene, from Morganella morganii
J. Antimicrob. Chemother., April 1, 2007; 59(4): 739 - 741.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Antimicrob. Agents Chemother.Home page
L. Pallecchi, C. Lucchetti, A. Bartoloni, F. Bartalesi, A. Mantella, H. Gamboa, A. Carattoli, F. Paradisi, and G. M. Rossolini
Population Structure and Resistance Genes in Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria from a Remote Community with Minimal Antibiotic Exposure
Antimicrob. Agents Chemother., April 1, 2007; 51(4): 1179 - 1184.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J Antimicrob ChemotherHome page
R. S. Barlow and K. S. Gobius
Diverse class 2 integrons in bacteria from beef cattle sources
J. Antimicrob. Chemother., December 1, 2006; 58(6): 1133 - 1138.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J Antimicrob ChemotherHome page
M. Sunde and M. Norstrom
The prevalence of, associations between and conjugal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes in Escherichia coli isolated from Norwegian meat and meat products
J. Antimicrob. Chemother., October 1, 2006; 58(4): 741 - 747.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.