title: Acinetobacter baumannii infection was decreased by the structural renovation of a medical intensive care unit.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study aimed to determine whether improvements in intensive care unit (ICU) structural environment affect the incidence of ICU-acquired infections (IAIs), particularly those caused by multidrug-resistant pathogens.
  
  
  METHODS
  The incidence of IAI and the number of infections caused by organisms during the 6 months immediately before ICU renovation and during the 6 months immediately after ICU renovation were compared. The observational duration was prolonged for an additional 1 year after recruiting the after-renovation data to observe if the found effect of ICU structural renovation is maintained. The relevant data were prospectively gathered.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall IAI incidence and distribution of infection site showed no difference in both periods. In IAI-causing pathogens, no considerable difference was found between before and after renovation, except for Acinetobacter baumannii. In comparison of the major pathogens' identification rate between the entire hospital and the renovated ICU during the study periods, only A baumannii cases in the renovated ICU significantly decreased. However, the reduction of the IAI cases by A baumannii was not sustained for more than 1 year.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that structural ICU renovations only may not improve overall IAI incidence, except for transient decrease in IAI by A baumannii.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, College of Medicine, Choenan, Korea.
authors: Seong-Su
authors: SS
authors: Nah
authors: Yun-Hee
authors: YH
authors: Park
authors: Joo Won
authors: JW
authors: Chung
authors: Sunmi
authors: S
authors: Yoo
authors: Sang Bum
authors: SB
authors: Hong
authors: Chae-Man
authors: CM
authors: Lim
authors: Younsuck
authors: Y
authors: Koh
mesh_terms: D000151:Acinetobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D040981:Acinetobacter baumannii; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015897:Comorbidity; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D005260:Female; D006749:Hospital Design and Construction; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Acinetobacter baumannii; Environment design; Intensive care units; Pneumonia