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Isoelectric Focusing of β-Lactamases from Sputum and Middle Ear Isolates of Branhamella catarrhalis Recovered in the United States

  • Section 2: β-Lactamases of Branhamella catarrhalis
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Summary

Branhamella catarrhalis obtained from the sputum of 146 patients with lower respiratory tract disease and from middle ear fluids of 26 children with otitis media were evaluated for β-lactamase activity and the enzymes were characterised by isoelectric focusing (IEF). 71% (103 of 146) of the sputum isolates and 77% (20 of 26) of the ear isolates produced β-lactamase. By IEF, the β-lactamases of 113 of 123 (92%) strains revealed patterns identical with the Ravasio type strain, having unique enzyme bands at pIs of 6.4 and 6.65. The remaining 10 isolates (8%) produced patterns similar to the 1908 type strain with a unique band of activity having a pI of 6.55. In addition, the 1908 types revealed a band of minor enzyme activity with a pI of 7.55 that was absent from the Ravasio types. All strains tested shared major enzyme bands with pIs of 5.1, 5.3, 5.55 and 6.1. These results indicate that the most common β-lactamase(s) produced by clinical isolates of B. catarrhalis in the United States are similar to those produced by the Belgian Ravasio type strain.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Department of Microbiology, The University of Texas Health Center at Tyler, Tyler, USA

    Donald R. Nash, Richard J. Wallace Jr & Vincent A. Steingrube

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospital, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA

    Paul A. Shurin

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  1. Donald R. Nash
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  2. Richard J. Wallace Jr
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  3. Vincent A. Steingrube
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  4. Paul A. Shurin
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Nash, D.R., Wallace, R.J., Steingrube, V.A. et al. Isoelectric Focusing of β-Lactamases from Sputum and Middle Ear Isolates of Branhamella catarrhalis Recovered in the United States. Drugs 31 (Suppl 3), 48–54 (1986). https://doi.org/10.2165/00003495-198600313-00012

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2165/00003495-198600313-00012

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