Tetracycline-resistance genes in Gram-negative isolates from estuarine waters

Abstract

Forty-two out of 164 multi-resistant isolates previously obtained were resistant or less-susceptible to tetracycline, as evaluated by the disc diffusion method. Minimal inhibitory concentration for resistant bacteria ranged from 16 to 256 mg l−1. Screening of tet genes by polymerase chain reaction showed that 88% of the isolates carried at least one of the genes tested, namely tet(A) (present in 13 isolates), tet(B) (present in 13 isolates), tet(C) (present in 3 isolates), tet(D) (present in 1 isolate), tet(E) (present in 6 isolates) and tet(M) (present in 1 isolate). One isolate carried tet(A) and tet(M). To our knowledge, this study presents the first description of a tet(D) gene in Morganella morganii. Hybridization revealed that tet genes were plasmid-located in 31% of the isolates. Those isolates were included as donors in conjugation experiments and 38% transferred tetracycline resistance.