The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 24 antibiotics were determined for 45 Stenotrophomonas maltophilia strains by the microdilution method at 37 and 30 degrees C (after 24 h and 48 h of incubation). The isolates were obtained from mouth swabs and pus of 116 captive snakes whereas the identical strains (based on PFGE) of the same origin were discarded. At 37 degrees C, the isolates showed a low frequency of resistance to levofloxacin (0 and 8.9 % of resistant strains after 24 and 48 h, MICs(50) 0.5 and 1 mg/L, MICs(90) 1 and 2 mg/L) and cotrimoxazole (2.2 % of resistant strains for 24 and 48 h, MICs(50) 4 mg/L for both time periods, MICs(90) 4 and 8). At 30 degrees C, the most effective drugs were also cotrimoxazole (2.2 and 6.7 %, MICs(50) 4 and 8, MICs(90) 8 and 32) and levofloxacin (8.9 and 46.7 %, MICs(50) 1 and 2, MICs(90) 2 and 4). The isolates were either identically or more susceptible to antibiotics than strains acquired from patients hospitalized at Olomouc University Hospital (the same region) with the exception of ciprofloxacin, cefoperazone, cefoperazone/sulbactam and ceftazidime.

• MeSH
• Anti-Bacterial Agents pharmacology   MeSH
• Drug Resistance, Bacterial * MeSH
• Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections microbiology   veterinary   MeSH
• Snakes microbiology   MeSH
• Suppuration microbiology   MeSH
• Microbial Sensitivity Tests MeSH
• Carrier State microbiology   veterinary   MeSH
• Stenotrophomonas maltophilia drug effects   isolation & purification   MeSH
• Mouth microbiology   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Anti-Bacterial Agents MeSH

Isolates of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia species display the feature "temperature-dependent susceptibility" (TDS) to antibiotics. Both 30TDS strains (at least 4 times lower value of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of an antibiotic at 30 than at 37 degrees C) and 37TDS strains (at least 4 times lower value of MIC at 37 than at 30 degrees C) were described. Changes in the distribution of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids (FA) at 30 and 37 degrees C were considered as one of possible causes of the TDS phenomenon. Gas chromatography was used to determine the distribution of individual FA in five 37TDS strains of S. maltophilia (Group I); in five strains with MIC values unaffected by the cultivation temperature (Group II) and in six 30TDS (four strains) or 30/37TDS (two strains) isolates (Group III). At identical temperatures, no statistically significant differences in the distribution of major FA (iso-15:0, anteiso-15:0, 16:0 and 16:1) were registered between individual groups. Statistically significant (p < 0.05) differences between groups were found in minor FA only (iso-16:0, iso-17:0 and iso-17:1). Distribution changes of cellular FA at 30 and 37 degrees C can be considered to play only a minor role in the formation of the TDS phenomenon.

• MeSH
• Anti-Bacterial Agents pharmacology   MeSH
• Fatty Acids, Nonesterified metabolism   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Microbial Sensitivity Tests MeSH
• Stenotrophomonas maltophilia drug effects   metabolism   MeSH
• Temperature MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Anti-Bacterial Agents MeSH
• Fatty Acids, Nonesterified MeSH