Background
Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii (MDR-AB) is an important nosocomial pathogen associated with significant morbidity
and mortality.
Methods
We conducted a prospective cohort study of intensive care unit patients colonized
or infected with MDR-AB at a tertiary care hospital from October 2008 to January 2009.
For each patient, 10 surfaces in the patient room were sampled and evaluated for the
presence of A baumannii. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis was performed on all environmental isolates and
a clinical isolate if available.
Results
Fifty rooms were sampled; 48% (24/50) were positive at 1 or more environmental sites.
Supply carts (10/50, 20%), floors (8/50, 16%), infusion pumps (7/50, 14%), and ventilator
touch pads (5/44, 11.4%) were most commonly contaminated. Patients with a recent history
of MDR-AB were no more likely to contaminate their environment than patients with
a remote history (51% vs 36%, respectively, P value = .50). In 85% (17/20) of cases, the environmental isolate was classified as
genetically similar to the patient isolate.
Conclusion
For patients with MDR-AB, the surrounding environment is frequently contaminated,
even among patients with a remote history of MDR-AB. Surfaces often touched by health
care workers during routine patient care are commonly contaminated and may be a source
of nosocomial spread.
Key Words
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Article Info
Footnotes
Supported by the National Institutes of Health ( R01 AI60859-01A1 and 2R01A1060859 ; to A.D.H.), and by National Institutes of Health grants 1K12RR023250-04 (to J.K.J.) and 1K23AI082450-01A1 (to K.A.T.).
Conflicts of interest: None to report.
Identification
Copyright
© 2011 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
