1. Molecular findings and antibiotic-resistance in an outbreak of Acinetobacter baumannii in an intensive care unit.
- Author
-
Longo B, Pantosti A, Luzzi I, Tarasi A, Di Sora F, Gallo S, Placanica P, Monaco M, Dionisi AM, Volpe I, Montella F, Cassone A, and Rezza G
- Subjects
- Acinetobacter Infections drug therapy, Acinetobacter Infections epidemiology, Acinetobacter baumannii drug effects, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Ampicillin administration & dosage, Ampicillin therapeutic use, Anti-Bacterial Agents therapeutic use, Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid microbiology, Carbapenems pharmacology, Colistin administration & dosage, Colistin therapeutic use, Cross Infection drug therapy, Cross Infection epidemiology, Disinfection, Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Patient Isolation, Rifampin administration & dosage, Rifampin therapeutic use, Rome epidemiology, Sulbactam administration & dosage, Sulbactam therapeutic use, Acinetobacter Infections microbiology, Acinetobacter baumannii isolation & purification, Cross Infection microbiology, Disease Outbreaks, Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial, Intensive Care Units
- Abstract
We investigated an outbreak of Acinetobacter baumannii in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a hospital in Rome, Italy. The outbreak involved 14 patients whose isolates were most frequently recovered from bronchoalveolar lavage. All isolates were multidrug-resistant and showed diminished susceptibility or resistance to carbapenems. A. baumannii strains with a similar antibiotic susceptibility pattern were isolated from the environment. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis identified a single clone from both the patients' and environmental isolates. Because of the lack of a single source of infection, the eradication of the epidemic required a broad approach, including contact isolation and cohorting, aggressive environmental disinfection, and close monitoring of the ward staff's performance. Infected patients were successfully treated with combined therapy. Although considered of low virulence, A. baumannii can be particularly aggressive and difficult to treat in ICU patients.
- Published
- 2007