Characterisation of integrons and antibiotic resistance genes in Danish multiresistant Salmonella enterica Typhimurium DT104.

The presence and genetic content of integrons was investigated in eight Salmonella enteritica Typhimurium DT104 isolates from different pig herds in Denmark. Two different integrons were identified using PCR and sequencing. Each of the integrons carried a single resistance cassette in addition to the sull and qacE delta 1 genes characteristic of integrons. The first integron encoded the ant (3")-1a gene that specified resistance to spectinomycin and streptomycin. The second contained the pse-1 beta-lactamase gene. All the multiresistant strains contained both integrons. The presence of these two integrons did not account for the total phenotypic resistance of all the isolates and does not exclude the presence of other mobile DNA elements.