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Plasmids in clinical isolates ofStreptococcus pneumoniae

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Abstract

Forty clinical isolates ofStreptococcus pneumoniae with various antibiotic resistance profiles were screened for the presence of plasmids. Plasmids were demonstrated in five isolates. Three procedures for plasmid isolation were evaluated. A 10.8-kb plasmid was demonstrated by all three methods, but a further four plasmids were detected with one method only. The sizes of these plasmids were 11.5 kb, 10.8 kb, and 3.0 kb (two strains). Curing experiments were performed, but no plasmid/antibiotic correlation was observed. Tetracycline, erythromycin, and clindamycin resistance was lost in one strain, although the plasmid was still present.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Emergent Pathogen Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council and School of Pathology, South African Institute for Medical Research, Johannesburg, South Arica

    Lynda J. Chalkley & Hendrik J. Koornhof

  2. University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Lynda J. Chalkley & Hendrik J. Koornhof

Authors
  1. Lynda J. Chalkley
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  2. Hendrik J. Koornhof
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Chalkley, L.J., Koornhof, H.J. Plasmids in clinical isolates ofStreptococcus pneumoniae . Current Microbiology 17, 167–171 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01573473

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01573473

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