Background:
There have been no reports in Bulgaria about quinolone resistance determinants among
Enterobacter
spp.
Aims:
To investigate plasmid and chromosomal quinolone resistance rates among 175 third-generation cephalosporin resistant
Enterobacter
spp. isolates (167
Enterobacter cloacae
complex and eight
Enterobacter aerogenes
isolates) collected at a university hospital in Varna, Bulgaria, as well as to reveal their association with ESBL/AmpC production and a carriage of specific plasmid replicon types.
Methods:
PCR, isoelectric focusing, replicon typing, sequencing, and epidemiology typing were carried out.
Results:
A high level of combined third-generation cephalosporin and quinolone resistant
Enterobacter
spp. was found − 79.4%. The ESBL production rate was 87%, consisting mainly of CTX-M-15 among
E. cloacae
complex (in 76%) and CTX-M-3 among
E. aerogenes
(in 88%). Plasmid mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) determinants were identified in 57% of the isolates. The most commonly detected PMQR determinants were
qnrB
(90%), consisting mainly of
qnrB1
(in 61%), and
qnrB9
(in 27%) of the isolates. Both alleles were transferred with CTX-M-15 genes; transconjugants showed HI2 replicons (for
qnrB1
positive transconjugants) and were non-typeable (for
qnrB9
). One
Enterobacter
spp. isolate produced
qnrB4. QnrA1, qnrS1,
and
aac(6ʹ)-Ib-cr
were detected in single isolates only.
QnrC, qnrD, qep
A, and
oqx
AB genes were not found.
QnrB
was associated with CTX-M-15 production, and
qnrS1
was linked to CTX-M-3. Alterations in 83 and 87 positions of
gyrB
in quinolone-resistance determining regions, and 80 position of
parC
were detected in high level quinolone resistant isolates. Among all the
Enterobacter
spp. isolates tested, one predominant clone A was identified (53%).
Conclusion:
Our data showed the necessity of more prudent use of quinolones and third-generation cephalosporins, because of the risk of promoting dissemination, and selection of multiple resistance determinants (ESBL, PMQR) among
Enterobacter
spp. isolates in Bulgaria.