ISSN:
1573-7284
Keywords:
Nosocomial infection
;
Acinetobacter baumannii
;
Epidemiologic typing
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Abstract Nosocomial infections due toAcinetobacter baumannii dramatically increased in a Lebanese medical center following an outbreak of hostilities in Lebanon in 1984. The incidence of infection caused by this organism has remained high in this institution, thus requiring the implementation of a strain typing system to aid in infection control. Three methods were investigated for their utility in differentiating among a representative group of 36 nosocomialAcinetobacter baumannii isolates obtained over a 10 month period from specimens of hospitalized patients. Isolates were typed by antibiogram analyses, plasmid fingerprinting, and total cell protein profiles. Only three distinct total cell protein profiles were detected, with one pattern accounting for 26 (72.2%) of the isolates. However, eight different plasmid profiles were observed, with 20 (55.5%) isolates having the same profile. Eleven distinct antibiograms were seen with the most prevalent pattern occuring in 21 isolates. Twenty of the 21 (95%) isolates with the common antibiogram also had the same plasmid profile and total protein profile (44.4% of total isolates). The combination of these three typing methods was useful in tracing the spread of these organisms in the medical center. The data obtained suggest the distribution of a common strain among at least six wards of this hospital.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02427385
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