Production of beta-lactamases, the enzymes that degrade beta-lactam antibiotics, is the most widespread and threatening mechanism of antibiotic resistance. In the past, extensive research has focused on the structure, function, and ecology of beta-lactamases while limited efforts were placed on the regulatory mechanisms of beta-lactamases. Recently, increasing evidence demonstrate a direct link...

INTRODUCTION Production of beta-lactamases is the predominant cause of resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics in Gram-negative bacteria. We investigated the diversity of plasmid-borne beta-lactamase genes and replicon type of the plasmids carrying the respective genes in Gram-negative bacteria recovered from clinical infection in Nigerian hospitals. METHODOLOGY A total of 134 Gram-negative bac...

A chromosome-encoded beta-lactamase gene from Shewanella algae clinical isolate KB-1 was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. It encoded the Ambler class D enzyme OXA-55, sharing less than 55% identity with any other oxacillinases. Although conferring a narrow-spectrum beta-lactam resistance phenotype, OXA-55 had carbapenem-hydrolyzing activity that mirrored the reduced susceptibility to i...

A Salmonella enterica serotype Cubana isolate exhibiting resistance to most beta-lactam antibiotics, including oxyimino-cephalosporins and imipenem, was isolated from a 4-year-old boy with gastroenteritis in Maryland. beta-Lactam resistance was mediated by a conjugative plasmid that encoded KPC-2, a class A carbapenemase previously found in a Klebsiella pneumoniae isolate from the Maryland area...

Sodium 7beta-[(R)-2-(N(b)()-o-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyl)hydrazino-3-pheny lpropa namido]cephalosporanate (1) is described as a new type of beta-lactam antibiotic, which undergoes light-induced destruction of its beta-lactam moiety and hence becomes biologically inactive. This type of antibiotic holds the promise of self-destruction over a number of hours of exposure to light, so that it would not ...

The in vitro activities of new beta-lactam antibiotics was studied and compared with those of other known agents against 51 clinical isolates of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus subsp. anitratus and 23 isolates of A. calcoaceticus subsp. lwoffi. Of the new beta-lactam antibiotics, imipemide (N-formimidoyl thienamycin), ceftazidime, ceftizoxime, ceftriaxone, and piperacillin demonstrated good activit...

This study was designed to determine Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae resistance pattern to some beta and non-beta lactam antibiotics currently in use. Fifty (50) samples (25 stool sample and 25 sputum sample) were collected and cultured using streak method of inoculation. Fifteen (15) isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae was gotten from sputum samples and 15 isolates of E.coli gotten fr...

The pharmacokinetics of beta-lactam antibiotics in intensive care patients may be profoundly altered due to the dynamic, unpredictable pathophysiological changes that occur in critical illness. For many drugs, significant increases in the volume of distribution and/or variability in drug clearance are common. When "standard" beta-lactam doses are used, such pharmacokinetic changes can result in...