BACKGROUND Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP) is the most frequent intensive-care-unit (ICU)-acquired infection. The aetiology of VAP varies with different patient populations and types of ICUs. METHODOLOGY A prospective study was performed over a period of 15 months in a tertiary care hospital to determine the various aetiological agents causing VAP and the prevalence of multidrug resista...

In a collection of 43 indole-positive Klebsiella clinical isolates, which were initially identified as Klebsiella oxytoca, there were 18 isolates which exhibited a pattern characteristic of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) resistance. This study aimed to confirm their identity by biochemical tests and by PCR and to determine the genetic basis for their resistance to the beta-lactams and ...

Problem statement: The emergence and spread of resistance to third-generation cephalosporins are threatening to create species resistant to all currently available agents. The most common cause of bacterial resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics is the production of beta-lactamases and many of the 2nd and 3rd-generation penicillins and cephalosporins were specifically designed to resist the hydr...

INTRODUCTION The rising prevalence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases in gram-negative bacillary pathogens is an important clinical problem resulting from the extensive use of broad-spectrum antibiotics. The emergence of the extended-spectrum beta-lactamases increases the possibility that traditional, empiric antimicrobial regimens may be ineffective. The aims of this study are: to determine ...

Beta-lactamases continue to be the leading cause of resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics among gram-negative bacteria. In recent years there has been an increased incidence and prevalence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs), enzymes that hydrolyze and cause resistance to oxyimino-cephalosporins and aztreonam. The majority of ESBLs are derived from the widespread broad-spectrum beta-la...

Enzyme engineering has been facilitated by recombination of close homologues, followed by functional screening. In one such effort, chimeras of two class-A β-lactamases - TEM-1 and PSE-4 - were created according to structure-guided protein recombination and selected for their capacity to promote bacterial proliferation in the presence of ampicillin (Voigt et al., Nat. Struct. Biol. 2002 9:553)....

INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................................161 MECHANISM OF ACTION OF -LACTAM ANTIBIOTICS .............................................................................161 RESISTANCE TO -LACTAM ANTIBIOTICS ..........................................................................

Introduction: Salmonella sp infections have been reported over recent years in hospitals in Argentina and other countries due to multiresistant strains. The aim of this study was to characterize the extended-spectrum β-lactamases in third-generation cephalosporin-resistant strains of Salmonella enterica serovar Oranienburg. Methods: We studied 60 strains isolated from children with gastroenteri...

conclusions this study showed that multiple β-lactamases can be produced in burn isolates. this suggests that use of cephalosporins and carbapenems should be restricted in burn isolates to minimize the development and spread of these multidrug resistant pathogens. results there was 99% resistance to carbenicillin, and ticarcillin, 98% to cotrimoxazole, 96% to ciprofloxacin, and aztreonam, 95% t...