Presence of polyclonal Pseudomonas aeruginosa in an intensive care unit: a 27-month prospective study on molecular epidemiology.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa was isolated in 22.2% of 305 intensive care unit environmental cultures. A high genetic heterogeneity (18 pulsotypes) was evident. Taps and related surfaces were a stable reservoir for certain pulsotypes. The 15.4% of the P. aeruginosa-positive cultures were polyclonal. Different colony morphotypes should be assayed in surveillance studies.
Cortés
P
P
Department of Microbiology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain.
Mariscal
D
D
Vallés
J
J
Rello
J
J
Coll
P
P
D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology