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Structural Diversity of Class 1 Integrons in Multiresistant Strains of Escherichia coli Isolated from Patients in a Hospital in Mexico City

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Abstract

Since a decade, Escherichia coli has been considered an important nosocomial pathogen due to the high number of isolates multiresistant to antimicrobials reported worldwide. In clinical and environmental strains, transposons, plasmids, and integrons are currently considered the principal genetic elements responsible for the acquisition of antibiotic resistance through horizontal transfer. The objective of this research was to correlate the resistance to antibiotics of E. coli clinical strains with the presence class I integrons. In the present study, one hundred E. coli strains were isolated and tested for susceptibility and resistance to antimicrobials. Class 1 integrons were detected by PCR, and the arrangement of gene cassettes was determined by sequencing. Twenty two strains were found to carry Class 1 integrons. Sequence analysis of the variable regions revealed the presence of several gene cassettes, such as dihydrofolate reductases (dfr2d, dfrA17, and dhfrXVb), adenylyl transferases (aadA2, addA5, and addA22), and chloramphenicol efflux pump (cmlA), and oxacillinase (bla OXA–1 ). The dfrA17–addA5 arrangement prevailed upon other integrons in the study. This is the first report of the presence of the dfr2d and dhfrXVb–aadA2 cassette arrangements in a Class 1 integrons from clinical strains of E. coli. In most of the strains, it was found a direct relationship between genetic arrangements and resistance phenotypes. Four integrons were detected in plasmids that might be involved in the resistance genes transfer to other bacteria of clinical importance. Our results confirm the presence of Class 1 integrons and their essential role in the dissemination of resistance cassettes among E. coli strains.

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Laboratorio de Microbiología, HGR No. 1 “Dr. Carlos Mac Gregor Sánchez Navarro, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, A. Gabriel Mancera 222, Col. Del Valle, C.P. 03100, Mexico, DF, Mexico

      Gabriel Acosta-Pérez

    2. Centro Nacional de la Transfusión Sanguínea, Av. Othón de Mendizábal 195, Col. Zacatenco, C.P. 07360, Mexico, DF, Mexico

      Juan Manuel Bello-López

    3. Departamento de Biología Celular, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. IPN 2508, Col. San Pedro Zacatenco, C.P. 07360, Mexico, DF, Mexico

      Gabriela Ibáñez-Cervantes & José Manuel Hernández

    4. Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, C.P. 04510, Mexico, DF, Mexico

      Zahuiti Hernández-Montañez

    5. Departamento de Microbiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. Carpio y Plan de Ayala S/N. Col. Casco de Santo Tomás, C.P. 11340, Mexico, DF, Mexico

      Silvia Giono-Cerezo

    6. Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Español, Ejército Nacional 617, Col. Granada, C.P. 11520, Mexico, DF, Mexico

      Gregorio León-García

    7. Departamento de Zoología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. Carpio y Plan de Ayala S/N. Col. Casco de Santo Tomás, C.P. 11340, Mexico, DF, Mexico

      Gloria León-Avila

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    1. Gabriel Acosta-Pérez
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    2. Gabriela Ibáñez-Cervantes
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    3. Juan Manuel Bello-López
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    4. José Manuel Hernández
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    5. Zahuiti Hernández-Montañez
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    6. Silvia Giono-Cerezo
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    7. Gregorio León-García
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    8. Gloria León-Avila
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    Correspondence to José Manuel Hernández or Gloria León-Avila.

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    Gabriel Acosta-Pérez, Gabriela Ibáñez-Cervantes, and Juan Manuel Bello-López have contributed equally to this work.

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    Acosta-Pérez, G., Ibáñez-Cervantes, G., Bello-López, J.M. et al. Structural Diversity of Class 1 Integrons in Multiresistant Strains of Escherichia coli Isolated from Patients in a Hospital in Mexico City. Curr Microbiol 71, 501–508 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-015-0876-9

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