In vitro susceptibility of Vibrio spp. isolated from the environment

Bacteria of the genus Vibrio include harmless aquatic strains as well as st rains capable of causing epidemics of cholera and human intestinal diseases . Some of these species may show resistance to different antibiotics includ ing cefotaxime, tetracycline and chloramphenicol. The susceptibility to dif ferent antibiotics was tested using 40 Vibrio alginolitycus, eight V. parah aemolyticus and six V. vulnificus strains isolated in the coastal waters of Northern Sardinia (Italy). The frequency of resistance to p-lactams was un expectedly high. More than 80% of Vibrio isolates were resistant to ampicil lin and 2.5% of V. alginolyticus were resistant to ceftazidime and cefoteta n. Forty percent of V. alginolyticus and three V. vulnificus isolates gave a positive nitrocefin test. PCR was also performed using selected primers c hosen for having common sequences of bla(TEM) and bin(SHV) genes. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. and International Society of Chemotherap y. All rights reserved.