Les intégrons : structure et épidémiologie

They are found extensively in clinical isolates, and most of the known antibiotic-resistance-gene cassettes belong to this class. But class 1 integrons are also found in the commensal flora, particularly in the commensal Escherichia coli and in fact, it seems that the increase of the antibiotic pressure in the environment is associated with an increase of the integrons prevalence. The highest prevalence of integrons occurs in the strains isolated from the hospitals. As there is also a known correlation between the antibiotic multiresistance and the prevalence of the integrons, it seems important to reduce the antibiotic prescription in order to decrease the integrons prevalence and then the antibiotic resistance.