The prevalence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) was determined among isolates of Escherichia coli (n = 63) isolated from hospitalized (43) and healthy (20) children. Ten isolates (21%) were ESBL-positive for two screening tests, the double disk-synergy test and the Oxoid Combination Disk method. One ESBL-positive isolate came from a healthy child. The transfer frequency of oxyimino-beta-lactam resistance from ESBL-producing isolates to E. coli K12 C600 recipient strain ranged from 10(-8) to 10(-5) per donor cell. Donor strains and transconjugants displayed susceptibility patterns typical of ESBL producers. They were resistant to oxyimino-beta-lactams but susceptible to clavulanic acid and carbapenems. Seven out of the 10 ESBL-positive isolates were found to produce MR/MS fimbria, which may play an important role in the colonization of the human intestinal mucosa.

• MeSH
• beta-Lactamases metabolism   MeSH
• beta-Lactam Resistance MeSH
• beta-Lactams pharmacology   MeSH
• Child MeSH
• Escherichia coli classification   enzymology   isolation & purification   MeSH
• Hospitalization * MeSH
• Escherichia coli Infections epidemiology   microbiology   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Microbial Sensitivity Tests MeSH
• Child, Preschool MeSH
• Diarrhea epidemiology   microbiology   MeSH
• Intestinal Mucosa microbiology   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Child MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Child, Preschool MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• beta-Lactamases MeSH
• beta-Lactams MeSH

A simple procedure is described for the rapid assay of beta-lactamases suitable for use in the quantitation of beta-lactamase inhibition in crude culture filtrates of soil microbes. The proposed method is based on measuring the blue reaction product (lambda max 750 nm) formed during reduction of phosphomolybdic acid with reducing products generated from beta-lactam hydrolysis and is not influenced significantly by the metabolites of microbial culture filtrates which often interfere with conventional beta-lactamase assay techniques.

• MeSH
• Actinobacteria enzymology   growth & development   MeSH
• beta-Lactamases metabolism   MeSH
• beta-Lactams metabolism   MeSH
• Fungi enzymology   growth & development   MeSH
• Hydrolysis MeSH
• beta-Lactamase Inhibitors * MeSH
• Enzyme Inhibitors metabolism   MeSH
• Colorimetry MeSH
• Culture Media MeSH
• Phosphoric Acids metabolism   MeSH
• Microbial Sensitivity Tests MeSH
• Molybdenum metabolism   MeSH
• Oxidation-Reduction MeSH
• Soil Microbiology * MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Evaluation Study MeSH
• Names of Substances
• beta-Lactamases MeSH
• beta-Lactams MeSH
• beta-Lactamase Inhibitors * MeSH
• Enzyme Inhibitors MeSH
• Culture Media MeSH
• Phosphoric Acids MeSH
• Molybdenum MeSH
• phosphomolybdic acid MeSH Browser