title: Importation of Acinetobacter baumannii into a burn unit: a recurrent outbreak of infection associated with widespread environmental contamination.
abstract: A burn patient was infected with Acinetobacter baumannii on transfer to the hospital after a terrorist attack. Two patients experienced cross-infection. Environmental swab samples were negative for A. baumannii. Six months later, the bacteria reemerged in 6 patients. Environmental swab samples obtained at this time were inoculated into a minimal mineral broth, and culture results showed widespread contamination. No case of infection occurred after closure of the unit for disinfection.
authors.affiliation: Service of Hospital Preventive Medicine, the Service of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland. Giorgio.Zanetti@chuv.ch
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zanetti
authors.forename: Dominique S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Blanc
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Federli
authors.forename: Wassim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Raffoul
authors.forename: Christiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Petignat
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maravic
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Francioli
authors.forename: Mette M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Berger
mesh_terms: D000151:Acinetobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D040981:Acinetobacter baumannii / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002053:Burn Units; D002056:Burns / Q000382:microbiology*; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016358:Contact Tracing; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004203:Disinfection; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D006801:Humans; D006875:Hydrotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D007214:Indonesia / Q000453:epidemiology; D054527:Mass Casualty Incidents; D023481:Terrorism