Molecular epidemiology of Acinetobacter baumannii in central intensive care unit in Kosova Teaching Hospital

• Published in: The Brazilian journal of infectious diseases Vol. 13; no. 6; pp. 408 - 413
• Main Authors: Raka, Lul, Kalenć, Smilja, Bosnjak, Zrinka, Budimir, Ana, Katić, Stjepan, Sijak, Dubravko, Mulliqi-Osmani, Gjyle, Zoutman, Dick, Jaka, Arbëresha
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Contexto 01-12-2009; Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases; Elsevier
• Subjects: Acinetobacter baumannii; Acinetobacter baumannii - genetics; Acinetobacter Infections - epidemiology; Acinetobacter Infections - microbiology; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Bacterial infections; Bacterial pneumonia; Child; Child, Preschool; Cross Infection - epidemiology; Cross Infection - microbiology; Disease Outbreaks; DNA, Bacterial - analysis; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; Epidemiology; Female; Genotype; Genotyping; Health aspects; Hospitals, Teaching; Humans; INFECTIOUS DISEASES; intensive care unit; Intensive Care Units; Kosova; Length of Stay; Male; Middle Aged; Pneumonia; Young Adult; Yugoslavia - epidemiology; Yugoslavia; Croatia; Acinetobacter baumannii; intensive care unit; Genotyping; Kosova
• ISSN: 1678-4391; 1413-8670; 1678-4391
• DOI: 10.1590/s1413-86702009000600004

Infections caused by bacteria of genus Acinetobacter pose a significant health care challenge worldwide. Information on molecular epidemiological investigation of outbreaks caused by Acinetobacter species in Kosova is lacking. The present investigation was carried out to enlight molecular epidemiology of Acinetobacter baumannii in the Central Intensive Care Unit (CICU) of a University hospital in Kosova using pulse field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). During March - July 2006, A. baumannii was isolated from 30 patients, of whom 22 were infected and 8 were colonised. Twenty patients had ventilator-associated pneumonia, one patient had meningitis, and two had coinfection with bloodstream infection and surgical site infection. The most common diagnoses upon admission to the ICU were politrauma and cerebral hemorrhage. Bacterial isolates were most frequently recovered from endotracheal aspirate (86.7%). First isolation occurred, on average, on day 8 following admission (range 1-26 days). Genotype analysis of A. baumannii isolates identified nine distinct PFGE patterns, with predominance of PFGE clone E represented by isolates from 9 patients. Eight strains were resistant to carbapenems. The genetic relatedness of Acinetobacter baumannii was high, indicating cross-transmission within the ICU setting. These results emphasize the need for measures to prevent nosocomial transmission of A. baumannii in ICU.