title: Diagnostic characteristics of routine surveillance cultures of endotracheal aspirate samples in cases of late-onset ventilator-associated pneumonia due to Acinetobacter baumannii.
abstract: Of 20 consecutive episodes of ventilator-associated pneumonia due to Acinetobacter baumannii, 18 were preceded by tracheobronchial colonization with strains ofA. baumannii that had the same antibiotic susceptibility pattern. When the results of routine surveillance cultures of endotracheal aspirate samples were compared with the results of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cultures performed for patients who developed late-onset ventilator-associated pneumonia, the sensitivity of the surveillance cultures was 90%, and the negative predictive value was 96%. The positive predictive value of surveillance cultures for identifying causative pathogens in cases of pneumonia due to A. baumannii was good.
authors.affiliation: Unita Operativa Anestesia e Rianimazione Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Pisana, Pisa, Italy. pmalacarne@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Malacarne
authors.forename: Marzia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Corini
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maremmani
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Viaggi
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Verdigi
mesh_terms: D000151:Acinetobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D040981:Acinetobacter baumannii / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000382:microbiology*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053717:Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated / Q000382:microbiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012122:Ventilators, Mechanical / Q000382:microbiology