Distribution of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance in Gram-negative bacteria from a tertiary hospital in Nigeria

Background: Until recently, mechanisms of resistance to quinolones in Gram-negative bacteria were believed to be only chromosome encoded. However, emergence of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) has been reported worldwide. Aim: This study investigated distribution of PMQR in Gram-negative bacteria from a tertiary hospital in eastern part of Nigeria. Materials and Methods: Seventy-one nonduplicate Gram-negative bacterial isolates of eight species were analyzed for antimicrobial susceptibility, genotypic detection of various PMQRs, typed by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and analysis of plasmids present, including replicon typing. Results: The minimum inhibitory concentrations showed MIC 90 values as high as 256 mu g/ml for fluoroquinolones. Carriage of PMQR was found to be 35.2%. Twenty (28.2%) isolates carried various qnr genes, of which seven (9.9%) qnrA1; four (5.6%) qnrB1; eight (11.3%) qnrS1 while one (1.4%) encoded qnrD1. Eighteen (25.4%) isolates were positive for aac(6')-lb-cr while carriage of multiple genes exists in some strains. Similarly, 13 isolates (18.7%) were found to carry PMQR efflux pump gene, qepA. Conjugation experiments revealed that the plasmids once transferred coded for fluoroquinolone resistance. The transconjugant strains carried a common plasmid estimated to be 65 kb. These plasmids were untypable for replicon/incompatibility. Typing revealed high diversity among all species tested with no identical RAPD pattern seen. Conclusion: This study further confirms high level resistance to many antimicrobials in different species of Gram-negative bacteria including fluoroquinolones and spread of PMQR genes in Southern Nigeria.