Outbreak with OXA-23-producing Acinetobacter baumannii in a COVID-19 ICU cohort: unraveling routes of transmission

• Published in: Antimicrobial resistance & infection control Vol. 13; no. 1; pp. 127 - 5
• Main Authors: Zingg, Sandra, Kuster, Sabine, von Rotz, Matthias, Portmann, Aurore, Egli, Adrian, Seth-Smith, Helena M B, Schlaepfer, Pascal, Goldenberger, Daniel, Bassetti, Stefano, Marsch, Stephan, Pargger, Hans, Kuehl, Richard, Tschudin-Sutter, Sarah
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 19-10-2024; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Acinetobacter baumannii - genetics; Acinetobacter Infections - epidemiology; Acinetobacter Infections - microbiology; Aged; beta-Lactamases - genetics; beta-Lactamases - metabolism; Brief Report; Carbapenems - pharmacology; COVID-19 - epidemiology; COVID-19 - transmission; Cross Infection - epidemiology; Cross Infection - microbiology; Cross Infection - transmission; Disease Outbreaks; Female; Health aspects; Hospital patients; Humans; Infection; Intensive Care Units; Male; Middle Aged; Oxalic acid; SARS-CoV-2 - genetics
• ISSN: 2047-2994; 2047-2994
• DOI: 10.1186/s13756-024-01485-3

An outbreak of OXA-23-producing carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii amongst ICU-patients with COVID-19 likely occurred by transmission through inanimate surfaces, potentially facilitated by a contaminated positioning pillow shared between patients. Subsequent rapid spread may have been caused by exposure to respiratory secretions contaminating healthcare worker's gloves and gowns during prone positioning.