Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

High-level trimethoprim resistance in urinary bacteria

  • Articles
  • Published:
European Journal of Clinical Microbiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The results of a three year evaluation of the incidence and type of trimethoprim resistance in pathogens responsible for significant bacteriuria in a general hospital in Edinburgh UK, are presented and compared to results of a previous study. In the present study, trimethoprim resistance was 50% more frequent in bacteria isolated from men and nearly twice as frequent in bacteria from elderly patients. However, the proportion of trimethoprim resistant strains fell annually when resistance was measured at trimethoprim concentrations of both 10 mg/l and 1000 mg/l. The proportion of strains able to transfer trimethoprim resistance also fell by half, and there was some movement of trimethoprim resistance transposons into the bacterial chromosome. These results suggest that migration of high-level trimethoprim resistance genes into the permanent location of the bacterial chromosome is occurring.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Fleming, M. P., Datta, N., Grüneberg, R.: Trimethoprim resistance determined by R-factors. British Medical Journal 1972, i: 726–728.

    Google Scholar 

  2. dAmyes, S. G. B., Emmerson, A. M., Smith, J. T.: Rfactor mediated trimethoprim resistance: result of two three-month clinical surveys. Journal of Clinical Pathology 1978, 31: 850–854.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Romero, E., Perducca, M.: Compatibility groups of Rfactors for trimethoprim resistance isolated in Italy. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy 1977, 3 Supplement C: 35–38.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Acar, J. F., Goldstein, F. W., Gerbaud, G. R., Chabbert, Y. A.: Plasmides de résistance au triméthoprime: transférabilité et groupe incompatibilité. Annales des Microbiologie de l'Institut Pasteur 1977, 128A: 41–47.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Towner, K. J., Pearson, N. J., Pinn, P. A., O'Grady, F.: Increasing importance of plasmid-mediated trimethoprim resistance in enterobacteria: two six-month surveys. British Medical Journal 1980, 280: 517–519.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Huovinen, P., Mantyjarvi, R., Toivanen, P.: Trimethoprim resistance in hospitals. British Medical Journal 1982, 284: 782–784.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Amyes, S. G. B., McMillan, C. J., Drysdale, J. L.: Transferable trimethoprim resistance amongst hospital isolates. In: Grassi, G. G., Sabath, L. D. (ed.): New trends in antibiotics: research and therapy, Elsevier/ North-Holland Biomedical Press, New York, 1981, p. 325–327.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Amyes, S. G. B., Drysdale, J. L., McMillan, C. J., Young, H.-K.: The diversity of trimethoprim resistance within hospital isolates. Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology 1982, 34: 60P.

  9. Bachmann, B. J.: Pedigrees of some mutant strains ofEscherichia coli K-12. Bacteriological Reviews 1972, 36: 525–555.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Sharma, P. L., Sharma, K. B., Prakash, K.: Incidence of conjugative plasmids amongst multidrug resistantSalmonella typhimurium strains isolated from different parts of India (1979–1982). Indian Journal of Medical Research 1984, 79: 473–478.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Datta, N., Hedges, R. W., Shaw, E. J., Sykes, R. B., Richmond, M. H.: Properties of an R-factor fromPseudomonas aeruginosa. Journal of Bacteriology 1971, 108: 1244–1249.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Hedges, R. W., Datta, N.:fi − R factors giving chloramphenicol resistance. Nature 1971, 234: 220–221.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Smith, J. T.: R-factor gene expression in gram-negative bacteria. Journal of General Microbiology 1969, 55: 109–120.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Amyes, S. G. B., Gould, I. M.: Trimethoprim resistance plasmids in faecal bacteria. Annales de Microbiologie de l'Institut Pasteur 1984, 135B: 177–186.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Birnboim, H. C., Doly, J.: A rapid alkaline extraction procedure for screening recombinant plasmid DNA. Nucleic Acids Research 1979, 7: 1513–1523.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Young, H.-K., Amyes, S. G. B.: Trimethoprim resistance: An epidemic caused by two related transposons. In: Spitzy, K. H., Karrer, K. (ed.): Proceedings of the 13th International Congress of Chemotherapy. Verlag Egermann, Vienna, 1983, Part 87, p. 93–96.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Kraft, C. A., Platt, D. J., Timbury, M. C.: Distribution and transferability of plasmids in trimethoprim resistant urinaryEscherichia coli: a comparative study of hospital isolates. Journal of Medical Microbiology 1984, 18: 95–105.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Chirnside, E. D., Emmerson, A. M., Smith, J. T.: A follow-up survey of transferable, plasmid encoded trimethoprim resistance in a general hospital (1975–1983). Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy 1985, 16: 419–434.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Towner, K. J., Wise, P. J.: Transferable resistance plasmids as a contributory cause of increasing trimethoprim resistance in general practice. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy 1983, 11: 33–39.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Towner, K. J.: A clinical isolate ofEscherichia coli owing its trimethoprim resistance to a chromosomallylocated trimethoprim transposon. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy 1981, 11: 33–39.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Bacteriology, Medical School, University of Edinburgh, Teviot Place, EH8 9AG, Edinburgh, UK

    S. G. B. Amyes, C. J. Doherty & H. -K. Young

Authors
  1. S. G. B. Amyes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. C. J. Doherty
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. H. -K. Young
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Amyes, S.G.B., Doherty, C.J. & Young, H.K. High-level trimethoprim resistance in urinary bacteria. Eur. J, Clin. Microbiol. 5, 287–291 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02017783

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02017783

Keywords

Search

Navigation