title: Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii outbreak in an intensive care unit.
abstract: Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii was isolated from 15 colonized or infected patients (carriers) between April and July 2004, in a teaching hospital ICU in Rome, Italy. All isolated strains were susceptible only to gentamicin, ampicillin-sulbactam and colistin and displayed the same Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) 1 pattern. Twelve out of 15 strains were susceptible to tigecycline, whereas the remaining three showed intermediate susceptibility. Although infection control measures were reinforced and carriers isolated in separate rooms, A. baumannii transmission continued. Therefore, finally A. baumannii carriers were moved to another available subintensive unit, which was re-equipped, and cared for by dedicated personnel, whereas only the non infected/colonized patients remained in the ICU. This study shows that during an outbreak by multiresistant A. baumannii it may be indispensable to geographically isolate not only patients but also dedicated staff.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy. giovanni.orsi@uniroma1.it
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Orsi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Franchi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giordano
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rocco
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ferraro
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mancini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Venditti
mesh_terms: D000151:Acinetobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D040981:Acinetobacter baumannii / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents