title: Clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii from a Portuguese hospital: PFGE characterization, antibiotic susceptibility and biofilm-forming ability.
abstract: Acinetobacter baumannii is an emerging pathogen associated with nosocomial infections that in addition has shown an increasing resistance to antibiotics. In this work the genetic diversity of A. baumannii isolates from a Portuguese hospital, their antibiotic resistance profiles and ability to form biofilms was studied. Seventy-nine clinical A. baumannii isolates were characterized by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) with 9 different PFGE profiles being obtained. Concerning the antimicrobial susceptibility, all A. baumannii isolates were resistant to 12 of the 17 tested antibiotics and classified as multidrug-resistant (MDR). In addition, 74.7% of the isolates showed biofilm formation ability, however no statistical significance with antibiotic resistance was observed. In contrast, urine samples isolates were more likely to form biofilms than strains isolated from other sources. Our findings highlight the high number of MDR A. baumannii isolates and the importance of the formation of biofilms as a potential virulence factor.
authors.affiliation: CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal.
authors.forename: Andreia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.affiliation: CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal.
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal; Cova da Beira Hospital Centre, Covilhã, Portugal.
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.affiliation: CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal. Electronic address: fdomingues@ubi.pt.
authors.forename: Fernanda C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Domingues
mesh_terms: D000151:Acinetobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D040981:Acinetobacter baumannii / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology*; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D011174:Portugal / Q000453:epidemiology; D014556:Urine / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Acinetobacter baumannii; Antibiotic resistance; Biofilm; PFGE