Emergence of clinical Escherichia coli isolates with decreased susceptibility to ceftazidime and synergic effect with co-amoxiclav due to SHV-1 hyperproduction.

Between 1994 and 1996 we detected 28 out of 7054 (0.4%) clinical isolates of Escherichia coli with abnormal or reduced inhibition diameters to co-amoxiclav and ceftazidime in a disc diffusion test. The increased MIC of ceftazidime (1-32 mg/L) and the effect of synergy between this antibiotic and co-amoxiclav according to the disc diffusion test suggest the presence of an extended-spectrum beta-lactamase. However, enzymatic characterization and the nucleotide sequence confirm the hyperproduction of the SHV-1 enzyme.