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. 1981 Sep 19;283(6294):755–756. doi: 10.1136/bmj.283.6294.755

Dissemination of resistance plasmids among gentamicin-resistant enterobacteria from hospital patients.

S Knight, M Casewell
PMCID: PMC1506822  PMID: 6791736

Abstract

Out of 184 patients who were infected or colonised with gentamicin-resistant enterobacteria, 17 (9%) harboured more than one strain. Single antibiotic-resistance plasmids were common to more than one of the different organisms isolated from nine patients, strongly suggestive of in-vivo conjugation. An "epidemic" plasmid with a molecular weight of approximately 110 megadaltons was found in 11 distinct strains isolated from four patients. Seven of the organisms harbouring this plasmid were Klebsiella aerogenes. Spread of multiple-resistance plasmids among endemic gentamicin-resistant enterobacteria is not uncommon, and these organisms provide a reservoir of plasmids that may ultimately spread to more pathogenic genera.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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