A. MARY VIOLET CHRISTY AND JITHU MOHANLAL
Abstract
13- lactam antimicrobial are the most heavily and commonly used treatment for bacterial infections. Resistance to penicillin emerged soon after it was first introduced in the 1940's. The most frequent and most efficient mechanism of resistant to (3- lactamase is the production of 13-lactamase enzymes, which are now seen in a wide variety of clinically important bacteria. Different types of soil samples that were used, sixteen penicillin resistant isolates were obtained via the enrichment method. Further screening of the isolates by qualitative (13-lactamase tests proved that seven of them have comparatively good 0- lactamase production and they are RRL4 Brown, RRL4 Yellow, RRLIO White, RRL6 White small, RRL20 Small white, RRL 21 a Big white and RRL21b Small white. These cultures were also showed relatively higher level of penicillin tolerance. fl-lactamases are usually produced by gram negative organisms in which this is the main method of resistance. Gram positive organisms also produce these enzymes, though their major line of resistance is due to the presence of altered penicillin- Binding proteins (PBP's)