Predominance of SHV-5 β-lactamase in enteric bacteria causing community-acquired urinary tract infections in Bosnia and Herzegovina

ABSTRACTThe β-lactamases produced by 14 non-duplicate Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates and five Escherichia coli isolates from urine samples obtained from outpatients were characterised by isoelectric focusing, substrate profile determination, PCR and sequencing of blaSHV genes. Three E. coli A15 R+ transconjugants were identified as isolates that produced SHV-5 β-lactamase. This report is the first description of SHV-5 β-lactamase among community isolates. Since the isolates showed distinct pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns, it was concluded that there was no clonal spread of blaTEM and blaSHV genes, and that dissemination of the blaTEM and blaSHV genes was the result of exchange of plasmids among different clones.