Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Applied Microbiology logoLink to Applied Microbiology
. 1971 Sep;22(3):339–343. doi: 10.1128/am.22.3.339-343.1971

Specific Distribution of R Factors in Serratia marcescens Strains Isolated from Hospital Infections

S Schaefler 1, J Winter 1,1, A Catelli 1, J Greene 1, B Toharski 1,2
PMCID: PMC376311  PMID: 4940874

Abstract

Serratia marcescens strains from three hospitals in the city of New York were tested for antibiotic susceptibility patterns and the presence of transmissible antibiotic resistance factors. There appears to be a pattern characteristic for each hospital with regard to the sensitivity to nalidixic acid, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, and sulfonamides, whereas the resistance to ampicillin, cephalothin, and streptomycin is similar in the strains isolated from all three hospitals. In one hospital, a single type of R factor was found which transfers resistance to streptomycin, kanamycin, ampicillin, and sulfonamides, whereas strains isolated from a second hospital transfer only ampicillin resistance. No R factors could be detected in multiply resistant Serratia strains isolated in a third hospital. The presence of a single type of R factor probably reflects the relative ecological isolation of S. marcescens and could be useful for epidemiological studies of hospital infections with Serratia.

Full text

PDF
339

Selected References

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

  1. Anderson E. S. The ecology of transferable drug resistance in the enterobacteria. Annu Rev Microbiol. 1968;22:131–180. doi: 10.1146/annurev.mi.22.100168.001023. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bauer A. W., Kirby W. M., Sherris J. C., Turck M. Antibiotic susceptibility testing by a standardized single disk method. Am J Clin Pathol. 1966 Apr;45(4):493–496. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Burdin J. C., Lochard J., Schaack F., Edert M., Georges J. C. Epidémie d'infections pleuro-pulmonaires dues a "Serratia marcescens" en milieu hospitalier. Presse Med. 1967 Feb 25;75(10):466–468. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Cabrera H. A. An outbreak of Serratia marcescens, and its control. Arch Intern Med. 1969 Jun;123(6):650–655. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Cooke M., Meynell E. Chromosomal transfer mediated by de-repressed R factors in F- Escherichia coli K12. Genet Res. 1969 Aug;14(1):79–87. doi: 10.1017/s0016672300001877. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Dodson W. H. Serratia marcescens septicemia. Arch Intern Med. 1968 Feb;121(2):145–150. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. LANCASTER L. J. Role of Serratia species in urinary tract infections. Arch Intern Med. 1962 May;109:536–539. doi: 10.1001/archinte.1962.03620170034005. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Medeiros A. A., O'Brien T. F. Contribution of R factors to the antibiotic resistance of hospital isolates of Serratia. Antimicrob Agents Chemother (Bethesda) 1968;8:30–35. doi: 10.1128/AAC.8.1.30. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Mitsuhashi S. The R factors. J Infect Dis. 1969 Jan;119(1):89–100. doi: 10.1093/infdis/119.1.89. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Schaefler S., Maas W. K. Inducible system for the utilization of beta-glucosides in Escherichia coli. II. Description of mutant types and genetic analysis. J Bacteriol. 1967 Jan;93(1):264–272. doi: 10.1128/jb.93.1.264-272.1967. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Smith J. T., Hamilton-Miller J. M., Knox R. Bacterial resistance to penicillins and cephalosporins. J Pharm Pharmacol. 1969 Jun;21(6):337–358. doi: 10.1111/j.2042-7158.1969.tb08267.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Wilfert J. N., Barrett F. F., Ewing W. H., Finland M., Kass E. H. Serratia marcescens: biochemical, serological, and epidemiological characteristics and antibiotic susceptibility of strains isolated at Boston City Hospital. Appl Microbiol. 1970 Feb;19(2):345–352. doi: 10.1128/am.19.2.345-352.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Applied Microbiology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES