Transduction of imipenem resistance by the phage F-116 from a nosocomial strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated in Slovakia.

Generalized transducting Pseudomonas aeruginosa phage F-116 was propagated in an Imipenem (IMI)-resistant clinical isolate of P. aeruginosa No. 191 and the phage was then used to transduce the IMI-resistance to a susceptible auxotrophic mutant strain of the same species. Transduction seems to be a suitable method for study of resistance determinant(s) and mechanism of resistance in this important species. It was found that the IMI-resistance of the clinical strain No. 191 is caused by production of a betalactamase specifically hydrolyzing this antibiotic.