Contribution of β-lactamase and efflux pump overproduction to tazobactam-piperacillin resistance in clinical isolates of Escherichia coli.

INTRODUCTION

Tazobactam-piperacillin (TZP) is a mixture of a broad-spectrum penicillin and an irreversible β-lactamase inhibitor. TZP is effective against Gram-negative bacteria that produce extended-spectrum β-lactamases, and it is used as a first-line or second-line drug to treat serious infections.

METHODS

This study identified three TZP-resistant and two TZP-intermediate strains among 514 clinical isolates of Escherichia coli.

RESULTS

These five isolates possessed one or more β-lactamase genes, bla, bla, bla, and/or bla. The expression levels of β-lactamase genes and acrAB genes in the strains were examined by using real-time reverse transcription PCR. The total enzymatic piperacillin-degrading activity in cells was determined. Two TZP-resistance mechanisms were identified: hyperproduction of TEM-1 in the two resistant strains; and simultaneous high production of β-lactamase and efflux pump AcrAB in the two TZP-intermediate isolates. The latter are an international high-risk clone O25b:H4-ST131-H30R.

CONCLUSION

TZP resistance is still rare in clinical isolates of E. coli. However, resistance can develop on high production and/or combinations of known antimicrobial resistance mechanisms in different ways.