Abstract
Integrons are mobile genetic elements able to capture, express and excise resistance genes, playing an important role in the spread of bacterial resistance. The present study was to investigate the occurrence and diversity of integrons in 120 clinical multi-drug resistant Gram-negative isolates from eastern China. Screening of integrons was performed by PCR and gene cassettes were further characterized by PCR-RFLP and sequencing. Class 1 integrons were detected in 70.8 % of isolates and no class 2 and class 3 integrons were detected in any isolates. A total of 19 resistant gene cassettes were identified, four representative of novel gene cassettes: an aacA3 variant (aacA3c), an aacA4 variant (aacA4'-17), a bla OXA variant (bla OXA-251 ), and a catB8 gene cassette interrupted by an insertion sequence IS10 (catB8::IS10). In addition, 14 cassette arrays were detected, including three novel integrons: gcuD1-aacA4'-17-gcu38B-catB8::IS10 (In712), aacA3c-aadA13-bla OXA-251 (In713) and dfrA1-gcu37-aadA5 (In714). The presence of novel integron structures in clinical isolates suggests hospital environments may favor the formation of novel combination of gene cassettes. Moreover, the high prevalence of integrons in multi-drug resistant isolates highlights the urgent need to employ effective means to avoid dissemination of drug-resistant bacteria.