Rapid determination of quinolone resistance in Acinetobacter spp

J Clin Microbiol. 2009 May;47(5):1436-42. doi: 10.1128/JCM.02380-08. Epub 2009 Mar 18.

Abstract

In the treatment of serious bacterial infections, the rapid institution of appropriate antimicrobial chemotherapy may be lifesaving. Choosing the correct antibiotic or combination of antibiotics is becoming very important, as multidrug resistance is found in many pathogens. Using a collection of 75 well-characterized multidrug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter sp. isolates, we show that PCR followed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (PCR/ESI-MS) and base composition analysis of PCR amplification products can quickly and accurately identify quinolone resistance mediated by mutations in the quinolone resistance-determining regions of gyrA and parC, two essential housekeeping genes. Single point mutations detected by PCR/ESI-MS in parC (found in 55/75 of the isolates) and in gyrA (found in 66/75 of the isolates) correlated with susceptibility testing and sequencing. By targeting resistance determinants that are encoded by genes with highly conserved DNA sequences (e.g., gyrA and parC), we demonstrate that PCR/ESI-MS can provide critical information for resistance determinant identification and can inform therapeutic decision making in the treatment of Acinetobacter sp. infections.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Acinetobacter / drug effects*
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Base Sequence
  • DNA Gyrase / genetics
  • DNA Topoisomerase IV / genetics
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics*
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial*
  • Humans
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests / methods
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutation, Missense
  • Point Mutation
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
  • Quinolones / pharmacology*
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / methods

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Quinolones
  • DNA Topoisomerase IV
  • DNA Gyrase