Patients with Acinetobacter baumannii bloodstream infections are colonized in the gastrointestinal tract with identical strains

Am J Infect Control. 2010 Nov;38(9):751-3. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2010.03.005. Epub 2010 Jun 8.

Abstract

In this study, we identified critically ill patients with Acinetobacter baumannii bacteremia and examined perirectal surveillance cultures for the presence of genetically related A baumannii strains using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis to determine whether gut colonization preceded clinical infection. Seven patients with imipenem-resistant A baumannii bacteremia were identified from January to June of 2008. Six of 7 (86%) patients were colonized in the gastrointestinal tract with genetically similar strains preceding their bacteremia.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acinetobacter Infections / microbiology*
  • Acinetobacter baumannii / classification*
  • Acinetobacter baumannii / drug effects
  • Acinetobacter baumannii / isolation & purification
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Bacteremia / microbiology*
  • Bacterial Typing Techniques*
  • Blood / microbiology*
  • Critical Illness
  • Cross Infection / microbiology
  • DNA Fingerprinting
  • Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field
  • Female
  • Gastrointestinal Tract / microbiology*
  • Humans
  • Imipenem / pharmacology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Molecular Epidemiology
  • beta-Lactam Resistance

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Imipenem