RESEARCH
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| AUTHORS | Osterblad M. Leistevuo J. Leistevuo T. Jarvinen H. Pyy L. Tenuvuo J. Huovinen P. |
| INSTITUTION | Antimicrobial Research Laboratory, National Public Health Institute, Turka, Finland |
| TITLE | Antimicrobial and mercury resistance in aerobic gram-negative bacilli in fecal flora among persons with and without dental amalgam fillings. |
| SOURCE | Antimicrobial Agents & Chemotherapy. 39(11):2499-502, 1995 Nov. |
| COUNTRY OF PUBLICATION | United States |
| ABSTRACT | Antimicrobial resistance is more widespread than can be accounted for as being a consequence of the selection pressure caused by the use of antibiotics alone. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that a high mercury content in feces might select for mercury-resistant bacteria and thus for antimicrobial agents during the three preceeding months or longer. The group exposed to dental amalgam (n=92) had 13 times more mercury in feces than the group that had never been exposed to amalgam (n=43) and the group whose amalgam fillings had been removed (n=56). No significant differences in either mercury resistance or antibiotic resistance in the fecal aerobic gram-negative flora of these subject groups were seen. The following antimicrobial resistance frequencies were detected with a replica plating method: 'greater than' or =1% resistance was seen in 40% of the subjects for ampicillin, 14% of the subjects for cefuroxime, 6% of the subjects for sulfamethoxazole, and 25% of the subjects for tetracycline. The amount of mercury in feces derived from amalgam was not selective for any resistance factors in aerobic gram-negative bacteria, but antimicrobial resistance was widespread even among healthy subjects with no recent exposure to antibiotics. |
| PUBLICATION TYPE | Journal Article |
| LANGUAGE | English |
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