ABSTRACT
Sixty nine Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates were studied for in vitro activity of eight different anti-pseudomonal compounds. Ciprofloxacin and ceftazidime were most active and inhibitory in all of the isolates. It was followed by imipenem [88.4%], aztreonam [64.1%], piperacillin [58%], and amikacin [48%]. Plasmid profile analysis showed that only three isolates harbored plasmids of identical patterns with approximate molecular sizes of 2.5 and 3 kbp. Restriction endonuclease analysis of extracted plasmids by HincII and Sau3AI revealed no difference in the digestion patterns. Single digestion of chromosomal DNA using EcoRI and PstI revealed an identical pattern in two isolates from one patient and different patterns among the other two. In this study, the Field Inversion Gel Electrophoresis [FIGE] was found more efficient than Contour-clamped Homogeneous Electric Field [CHEF] in separating the restricted fragments of P. aeruginosa chromosomal DNA