Jpn. J. Infect. Dis., 57, 206-209, 2004
To see a printable version of the article in the Adobe file format, click this [PDF] link.
Short Communication
Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis of Multidrug-Resistant and -Sensitive Strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from a Malaysian Hospital
Kwai Lin Thong*, Kin Seng Lai, R.Ganeswrie1 and S. D. Puthucheary2
Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, 2Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur and 1Hospital Sultanah Aminah, Johor Bahru, Malaysia
(Received February 20. 2004. May 10, 2004)
*Corresponding author: Mailing address: Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel: +60-3- 7967-4437. Fax: +60-3-7967-5908. E-mail: thongkl@um.edu.my
SUMMARY: Over a period of 6 months from January to June
2002, an unusual increase in the isolation of highly resistant
Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains was observed in the various
wards and intensive care units of a large general hospital in
Johor Bahru, Malaysia. An equal number of multidrug resistant
(MDR) and drug-susceptible strains were collected randomly from
swabs, respiratory specimens, urine, blood, cerebral spinal fluid,
and central venous catheters to determine the clonality and genetic
variation of the strains. Macrorestriction analysis by pulsed-field
gel electrophoresis showed that the 19 MDR strains were genetically
very homogenous; the majority showed the dominant profile S1 (n
= 10), the rest very closely related profiles S1a (n =
1), S2 (n = 4), and S2a (n = 3), indicating the
endemicity of these strains. In contrast, the 19 drug-sensitive
strains isolated during the same time period were genetically
more diverse, showing 17 pulsed-field profiles (F = 0.50-1.00),
and probably derived from the patients themselves. The presence
of the MDR clone poses serious therapeutic problems as
it may become endemic in the hospital and give rise to future
clonal outbreaks. There is also the potential for wider geographical
spread.