Importation of Acinetobacter baumannii into a burn unit: a recurrent outbreak of infection associated with widespread environmental contamination.
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.
Zanetti
Giorgio
G
Service of Hospital Preventive Medicine, the Service of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland. Giorgio.Zanetti@chuv.ch
Blanc
Dominique S
DS
Federli
Isabelle
I
Raffoul
Wassim
W
Petignat
Christiane
C
Maravic
Philippe
P
Francioli
Patrick
P
Berger
Mette M
MM
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