Inoue Y. Spontaneous loss of antibiotic-resistant plasmids transferred to Escherichia coli in experimental chronic bladder infection.
Int J Urol 1997;
4:285-8. [PMID:
9255668 DOI:
10.1111/j.1442-2042.1997.tb00191.x]
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Abstract
BACKGROUND
We investigated whether Escherichia coli that has been transformed with antibiotic-resistant plasmids spontaneously loses the plasmids while infecting the rat bladder.
METHODS
A nontransmissible antibiotic-resistant plasmid was transferred to a clinically isolated strain of E. coli. A knotted thread holding the strain was implanted into the bladder of male Wistar rats. One or 4 weeks later, the total number of bacteria and that of plasmid-carrying bacteria were measured in the bladder.
RESULTS
When plasmid-carrying E. coli alone was inoculated, most of the plasmid-carrying E. coli were replaced with plasmid-free E. coli. When plasmid-carrying and plasmid-free E. coli were simultaneously inoculated, this replacement was accelerated.
CONCLUSION
These results suggest that E. coli carrying antibiotic-resistant plasmids spontaneously lose the plasmids as time passes, and thus become sensitive to antibiotics.
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