Aerosolization of Acinetobacter baumannii in a trauma ICU*. Crit Care Med 2013 Aug;41(8):1915-8
Date
06/21/2013Pubmed ID
23782965DOI
10.1097/CCM.0b013e31828a39c0Scopus ID
2-s2.0-84880961190 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 56 CitationsAbstract
OBJECTIVE: To establish the presence of air contamination with Acinetobacter baumannii in the trauma ICU.
DESIGN: Point prevalence microbiological surveillances.
SETTINGS: A 1,500-bed public teaching hospital in the Miami metro area.
PATIENTS: Trauma ICU patients.
MEASUREMENTS: Pulsed field electrophoresis was performed on environmental and clinical isolates to determine the association of any isolates from the air with clinical isolates.
MAIN RESULTS: Out of 53 patient areas cultured, 12 (22.6%) had their air positive for A. baumannii. The presence of an A. baumannii-positive patient (underneath the plate) was associated with positive air cultures for A. baumannii (11 of 21 [52.4%] vs 0 of 25 [0%]; p < 0.0001). However, we were not able to find differences in air contamination based on the presence of A. baumannii in respiratory secretions versus absence (p = 1.0). Air and clinical isolates were found to be clonally related.
CONCLUSIONS: Aerosolization of A. baumannii in the ICUs is a concern, and its role in the transmission of this organism among patients should be further clarified.
Author List
Munoz-Price LS, Fajardo-Aquino Y, Arheart KL, Cleary T, DePascale D, Pizano L, Namias N, Rivera JI, O'Hara JA, Doi YMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
Acinetobacter InfectionsAcinetobacter baumannii
Air Microbiology
Carbapenems
Drug Resistance, Bacterial
Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field
Humans
Intensive Care Units
Multilocus Sequence Typing
Patients' Rooms
Trauma Centers
Ventilation
