ABSTRACT
beta-Lactamase activity and drug sensitivity were measured in 744 strains from 8 species of bacteria isolated at medical institutions in Chikugo District of Fukuoka Prefecture during the period from December 1999 to February 2000. Nitrocefin test revealed that beta-lactamase was positive in 48% of S. aureus, 7% of H. influenzae, and 92% of M. catarrhalis, and acidometry revealed that penicillinase/cephalosporinase were positive in 13%/14% of E. coli, 22%/8% of K. pneumoniae, 47%/97% of E. cloacae, 3%/65% of S. marcescens, and 10%/36% of P. aeruginosa. Based on the assessment of the MIC values of various types of antibacterial drugs for beta-lactamase-producing strains, there were 11 strains (1 strain of K. pneumonia, 6 strains of E. cloacae, and 4 strains of P. aeruginosa) of class-B beta-lactamase-producing bacteria out of a total of 496 strains of Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The results of PCR analysis suggested that 1 strain of K. pneumonia, 1 strain of E. cloacae, and 4 strains of P. aeruginosa produced metallo-beta-lactamase. There was no strain (E. coli and K. pneumoniae) of ESBL-producing bacteria. BLNAR strains, on the other hand, were found in 9% (9/100) of H. influenzae.