tet(W) was found responsible for tetracycline resistance (MICs, 4 to >= 32 mu g ml(-1)) in dominant bifidobacterial species from the gastrointestinal tracts of healthy humans. The gene from Bifidobacterium longum H66 proved to be identical over a 2.6-kbp region to the recently described tet(W) determinant of Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens.