[Mechanisms of inactivation of aminosides. Relationship to phenotype in Gram negative bacilli].

Aminosides are antibiotics essential in the treatment of gram negative bacilli infections. Phenomena of resistance related to them are amongst the best documented. For enterobacteria encountered in clinical practice, the process is usually a plasmid mediated inactivation mechanism, the dispersion of which in a hospital context may be appreciated. Precise knowledge of the modes of inactivation and the molecular sites involved has led to the production of semi-synthetic aminosides which escape the action of these enzymes. A classification of hospital bacteria according to their type of resistance is possible by virtue of the study of phenotypes and may make it possible to define the true need of these new substances.