PLASMID ELIMINATION FROM CLINICAL ISOLATES OF ESCHERICHIA-COLI BY CIPROFLOXACIN AND OTHER INHIBITORS OF DNA GYRASE

The susceptibility of 50 drug resistant strains of Escherichia coli of human gut was determined against ciprofloxacin, acridine orange (AO) and sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS). Curing efficacy of these agents wer e worked out at subminimal inhibitory concentrations. Ciprofloaxacin w as found a better curing agent for E coli R-plasmids, eliminating R-fa ctors from 48% of the strains followed by SDS and AO which eliminated 24% and 20% of the drug resistance determinants, respcetively. Elimina tion of R-plasmids was found dependent on the concentrations of curing agents and nature of R-plasmids.