Microbial Gut Overgrowth Guarantees Increased Spontaneous Mutation Leading to Polyclonality and Antibiotic Resistance in the Critically Ill

Title: Microbial Gut Overgrowth Guarantees Increased Spontaneous Mutation Leading to Polyclonality and Antibiotic Resistance in the Critically Ill

Volume: 9 Issue: 5

Author(s): H. K.F. van Saene, N. Taylor, V. Damjanovic and R. E. Sarginson

Affiliation:

Keywords: Gut overgrowth, polyclonality, spontaneous mutation, antimicrobial resistance

Abstract: Polyclonality is defined as the occurrence of different genotypes of a bacterial species. We are of the opinion that these different clones originate within the patient. When infections and outbreaks occur, the terms of polyclonal infections and polyclonal outbreaks have been used, respectively. The origin of polyclonality has never been reported, although some authors suggest the acquisition of different clones from different animate and inanimate sources. We think that the gut of the critically ill patient with microbial overgrowth is the ideal site for the de-novo development of new clones, following increased spontaneous mutation.

Cite this article as:

van Saene K.F. H., Taylor N., Damjanovic V. and Sarginson E. R., Microbial Gut Overgrowth Guarantees Increased Spontaneous Mutation Leading to Polyclonality and Antibiotic Resistance in the Critically Ill, Current Drug Targets 2008; 9 (5) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138945008784221189