Plasmid elimination from clinical isolates of Echerichia coli by ciprofloxacin and other inhibitors of DNA gyrase

Abstract

The susceptibility of 50 drug resistant strains of Escherichia co/i of human gut was determined against ciprofloxacin, acridine orange (AO) and sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS). Curing efficacy of these agents were worked out at subminimal inhibitory concentrations. Ciprofloaxacin was found a better curing agent for E co/i R-plasmids, eliminating R-factors from 48% of the strains followed by SDS and A0 which eliminated 24% and 20% of the drug resistance deteminants, respcetively. Elimination of R-plasmids was found dependent on the concentrations of curing agents and nature of R-plasmids.