Transduction of amikacin, gentamicin and tobramycin resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

In a series of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains resistant to gentamicin, tobramycin, amikacin and/or netilmicin (Knothe and Krcméry, 1979), wild-type phage lysates could be prepared and two of them were studied more in detail. Both lysates were shown to mediate transfer of gentamicin, amikacin and carbenicillin resistance by direct selection. In some instances also fertility function (tra) could be demonstrated in transductants by further cycles of transfer. It could be speculated that, once such wild-type phages from resistant or toxinogenic strains are liberated into the hospital environment, they could mediate these and other properties to P. aeruginosa strains in that environment.