Resistance types in Citrobacter freundii. Occurrence and resistance to ampicillin, carbenicillin, cephalothin and mecillinam. Transfer of ampicillin resistance.

The resistance types of Citrobacter freundii were investigated. The strains were divided into three groups according to susceptibility to penicillin derivatives. Group 1, comprising the ampicillin-carbenicillin sensitive strains (A-s/Ca-s), constituted 22%. Group 2 (ampicillin-resistant (A-r)/Ca-s) constituted 45% and group 3 (A-r/Ca-r) 32%. Two strains (1%) were recorded as A-s/Ca-r. Group 3 contained a higher proportion of multi-resistant strains than groups 1 and 2. The log2IC50 with ampicillin, carbenicillin, cephalothin and mecillinam in the tube-dilution method were determined for 32 strains. Groups 1 and 2 differed only as regards cephalothin resistance. The strains of group 3 were more A-r than the group 2 ones. The mecillinam susceptibility did not differ between the three groups. No strains in group 2 could transfer A-resistance. In group 3 ten out of 16 strains were able to transfer A-resistance. Resistance to sulphonamide, tetracycline, and streptomycin was also transferred, but with low frequency. The A-r/Ca-r strains could be divided into two subgroups, probably reflecting different modes of developing beta-lactam resistance. One group was very A- and Ca-r, less cephalothin-r, more mecillinam-r and could transfer A-resistance. The other group had very high cephalothin-resistance and could not transfer A-resistance. Citrobacter freundii and Enterobacter cloacae are very similar as regards resistance conditions.