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European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases

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01-01-2022 | Benzylpenicillin | Brief Report

Possible misinterpretation of penicillin susceptibility in Staphylococcus aureus blood isolate due to in vitro loss of the blaZ gene

Authors: Helle Brander Eriksen, Andreas Petersen, Michael Pedersen, Søren Overballe-Petersen, Anders Rhod Larsen, Barbara Juliane Holzknecht

Published in: European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases | Issue 1/2022

Abstract

We describe a case of recurrent catheter-related blood stream infections (BSI) with Staphylococcus aureus, in which the first isolate tested susceptible to penicillin, while subsequent isolates were resistant. Phenotypic susceptibility correlated with the absence/presence of the blaZ gene. The in vitro stability of penicillin resistance was investigated by subculturing single colonies. In two out of five colonies, phenotypical resistance was lost after a single subculture, which correlated with loss of the blaZ gene. This in vitro phenomenon probably resulted in a very major error in the microbiology report of the first BSI, where penicillin had been recommended as treatment.

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Title: Possible misinterpretation of penicillin susceptibility in Staphylococcus aureus blood isolate due to in vitro loss of the blaZ gene
Authors: Helle Brander Eriksen
Andreas Petersen
Michael Pedersen
Søren Overballe-Petersen
Anders Rhod Larsen
Barbara Juliane Holzknecht
Publication date: 01-01-2022
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Keywords: Benzylpenicillin
Penicillins
Central Venous Catheter
Published in: European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases / Issue 1/2022
Print ISSN: 0934-9723
Electronic ISSN: 1435-4373
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-021-04344-w

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