β-Lactamases in amoxicillin-clavulanate-resistant Escherichia coli strains isolated from a Chinese tertiary hospital

Abstract A total of 52 strains were resistant to amoxicillin-clavulanate by disk diffusion method in a Chinese tertiary hospital from July 2011 to December 2011. Among these isolates, 2 isolates possessed a phenotype consistent with production of inhibitor-resistant temoniera (TEM) (IRT) β-lactamase, and the TEM-type gene was cloned into strains of Escherichia coli JM109 cells. Both had no bla TEM mutations and were identified as TEM-1 β-lactamase producers. As a result, no IRT β-lactamase was detected. Multiplex PCR detected most of these strains produced TEM-1 enzymes, and plasmid-mediated AmpC β-lactamase and oxacillinase-1 β-lactamases are important mechanisms of resistance as well.