PLASMID PROFILES OF KLEBSIELLA-PNEUMONIAE ISOLATED FROM HORSES

Plasmid profiles of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from horses were ex amined. Thirty-nine strains of K. pneumoniae capsular type 1 (K1) isol ated from cervical swabs of mares suffering from metritis, and from se men of stallions showed similar plasmid profile patterns, and all stra ins possessed a 125 megadaltons (Md) plasmid. There was no difference in plasmid profiles between the heavily-encapsulated and the less heav ily-encapsulated strains of K. pneumoniae K1. Non-capsulated variants derived from the strains of K1 showed the same plasmid profile pattern as the parent strains. Plasmid profiles of K. pneumoniae other than K 1 were various; and none of these strains possessed the 125 Md plasmid .