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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, January 2001, p. 8-13, Vol. 39, No. 1
0095-1137/01/$04.00+0   DOI: 10.1128/JCM.39.1.8-13.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Identification of Epidemic Strains of Acinetobacter baumannii by Integrase Gene PCR

Johannes G. M. Koeleman,dagger Jeroen Stoof, Madelon W. Van Der Bijl, Christina M. J. E. Vandenbroucke-Grauls, and Paul H. M. Savelkoul*

Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital Vrije Universiteit, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Received 9 May 2000/Returned for modification 27 July 2000/Accepted 18 October 2000

Forty-eight clinical Acinetobacter isolates with different epidemic behavior were investigated for the presence of integrons and plasmids and for antibiotic susceptibility. Integrons were demonstrated in 50% of the strains by an integrase gene PCR. Epidemic strains of Acinetobacter baumannii were found to contain significantly more integrons than nonepidemic strains. Also, the presence of integrons was significantly correlated with simultaneous resistance to several antibiotics. Plasmids were detected in 42% of the strains. However, there was no significant correlation between the numbers of plasmids and integrons in Acinetobacter species strains, no significant difference in the number of plasmids between epidemic and nonepidemic A. baumannii strains, and no significant correlation between the presence of plasmids and antibiotic resistance. Hence, it is likely that integrons play an important role in antibiotic resistance and thereby in the epidemic behavior of A. baumannii. Because the integrase gene PCR identified almost three-quarters of the epidemic A. baumannii isolates (17 of 23), this seems to be a rapid and simple technique for the routine screening and identification of clinical A. baumannii isolates with epidemic potential.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: University Hospital Vrije Universiteit, P.O. Box 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Phone: 31-204440552. Fax: 31-204440473. E-mail: p.savelkoul{at}azvu.nl.

dagger Present address: Sint Franciscus Gasthuis, 3004 BA Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, January 2001, p. 8-13, Vol. 39, No. 1
0095-1137/01/$04.00+0   DOI: 10.1128/JCM.39.1.8-13.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


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