title: [The results of molecular epidemiological investigations in patients infected with strains of the genus Acinetobacter].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acinetobacter spp. is an important opportunistic pathogen responsible for increasing number of nosocomial infections. The majority of infection are of epidemic origin, and treatment has become difficult because many strains are resistant to a wide range of antibiotics. The aim of this study was to investigate the local infections caused by various species of the genus Acinetobacter, occurring in the hospital wards IGiChP in periods of increased prevalence: August 2007 and February and March 2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty three strains of Acinetobacter spp. were isolated from 19 patients residing in the same period and the same hospital ward (2007 - 13 strains from 11 patients, 2008 - 10 strains from 8 patients). Acinetobacter isolates obtained from these patients were characterized by phenotypically methods and genotypically by arbitrarily primed PCR (AP-PCR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  All strains of Acinetobacter (n = 23) were multi-drug resistant. Used AP-PCR method showed 10 genotypes among the all strains. Acinetobacter spp. strains cultivated in 2007 and 2008 belonged to one genotype, came from patients hospitalized on the same wards, which confirms the transmission of infection in the patient's residence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The same genotype Acinetobacter baumannii strains isolated from two patients in 2007, and two patients in 2008, showed the presence of bacteria in the hospital environment. In the present study, we also established the usefulness of AP-PCR in molecular epidemiological investigations.
authors.affiliation: Zakład Mikrobiologii Instytutu Gruźlicy i Chorób Płuc w Warszawie. j.nowak@igichp.edu.pl
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nowak
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pacholczyk
authors.forename: Violetta
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Petroniec
authors.forename: Beata
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dziedzicka
authors.forename: Zofia
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zwolska
mesh_terms: D000151:Acinetobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D040981:Acinetobacter baumannii / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D011044:Poland; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D013045:Species Specificity