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Surveillance of nosocomial cross-infections due to three Acinetobacter genospecies (Acinetobacter baumannii, genospecies 3 and genospecies 13) during a 10-Year Observation period: serotyping, macrorestriction analysis of Genomic DNA and antibiotic susceptibilities.

During a 10-year surveillance period, a total of 2,359 isolates comprising the genus Acinetobacter were recovered and identified presumptively with phenotypic tests. Genospecies 3 was the most common (n = 1,053), followed by genospecies 13 (n = 352), Acinetobacter baumannii (n = 335), Acinetobacter Iwoffi (n = 162), and genospecies 14 (n = 97); 100 isolates (4.2%) were categorized as questionable Acinetobacter. There were 34 clusters of putative nosocomial cross-infection due either to genospecies 3 (n = 16), A. baumannii (n = 10) or genospecies 13 (n = 8). Apart from 3 clusters due to two multiple-antibiotic-resistant strains of genospecies 13 and one strain of A. baumannii, respectively, there was no significant increase of antibiotic resistance discernible during the decade-long period of Acinetobacter surveillance.

Acinetobacter↗

Molecular epidemiology of sequential outbreaks of Acinetobacter baumannii in an intensive care unit shows the emergence of carbapenem resistance.

The molecular epidemiology of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii was investigated in the medical-surgical intensive care unit (ICU) of a university hospital in Italy during two window periods in which two sequential A. baumannii epidemics occurred. Genotype analysis by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of A. baumannii isolates from 131 patients identified nine distinct PFGE patterns. Of these, PFGE clones B and I predominated and occurred sequentially during the two epidemics. A. baumannii epidemic clones showed a multidrug-resistant antibiotype, being clone B resistant to all antimicrobials tested except the carbapenems and clone I resistant to all antimicrobials except ampicillin-sulbactam and gentamicin. Type 1 integrons of 2.5 and 2.2 kb were amplified from the chromosomal DNA of epidemic PFGE clones B and I, respectively, but not from the chromosomal DNA of the nonepidemic clones. Nucleotide analysis of clone B integron identified four gene cassettes: aacC1, which confers resistance to gentamicin; two open reading frames (ORFs) coding for unknown products; and aadA1a, which confers resistance to spectinomycin and streptomycin. The integron of clone I contained three gene cassettes: aacA4, which confers resistance to amikacin, netilmicin, and tobramycin; an unknown ORF; and bla(OXA-20), which codes for a class D beta-lactamase that confers resistance to amoxicillin, ticarcillin, oxacillin, and cloxacillin. Also, the bla(IMP) allele was amplified from chromosomal DNA of A. baumannii strains of PFGE type I. Class 1 integrons carrying antimicrobial resistance genes and bla(IMP) allele in A. baumannii epidemic strains correlated with the high use rates of broad-spectrum cephalosporins, carbapenems, and aminoglycosides in the ICU during the study period.

Acinetobacter Infections↗

A regulator of amino acid catabolism controls Acinetobacter baumannii gut colonization.

Asymptomatic gut colonization increases the risk of clinical infection and transmission by the multidrug-resistant pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii. Ornithine utilization was shown to be critical for A. baumannii competition with the resident microbiota to persist in gut colonization, but the regulatory mechanisms and cues are unknown. Here, we identify a transcriptional regulator, AstR, that specifically activates the expression of the A. baumannii ornithine utilization operon astNOP. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that AstR was co-opted from the Acinetobacter arginine utilization ast(G)CADBE locus and is specialized to regulate ornithine utilization in A. baumannii. Reporter assays showed that astN promoter expression was activated by ornithine but inhibited by glutamate and other preferred amino acids. astN promoter expression was similarly activated by incubation with fecal samples from conventional mice but not germ-free mice, suggesting AstR-dependent activation of the astN promoter responds to intermicrobial competition for amino acids. Finally, AstR was required for A. baumannii to colonize the gut in a mouse model. Together, these results suggest that pathogenic Acinetobacter species evolved AstR to regulate ornithine catabolism, which is required to compete with the microbiota during gut colonization.

Animals↗

Community-acquired bacteremic Acinetobacter pneumonia in tropical Australia is caused by diverse strains of Acinetobacter baumannii, with carriage in the throat in at-risk groups.

Acinetobacter isolates from eight subjects with community-acquired Acinetobacter pneumonia (CAAP), a major cause of fatal community-acquired pneumonia in tropical Australia, were phenotypically and genotypically confirmed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis to be broadly diverse Acinetobacter baumannii strains. Wet-season throat carriage of A. baumannii was found in 10% of community residents with excess levels of alcohol consumption, the major at-risk group for CAAP.

Acinetobacter↗

Long-term predominance of two pan-European clones among multi-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii strains in the Czech Republic.

In a recent study, a large proportion of multi-drug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii strains that were isolated from hospitalized patients in the Czech Republic was found to belong to two major groups (A and B). These groups appeared to be similar to epidemic clones I and II, respectively, which were identified previously among outbreak strains from north-western European hospitals. The aim of the present study was to assess in detail the genetic relatedness of Czech A. baumannii strains and those of epidemic clones I and II by using ribotyping with HindIII and HincII and by AFLP fingerprinting. The study collection included 70 MDR strains that were isolated in 30 Czech hospitals in 1991-2001, 15 susceptible Czech strains from 1991 to 1996 and 13 reference strains of clones I and II from 1982 to 1990. One major HindIII/HincIII ribotype (R1-1) was observed in 38 MDR Czech strains and eight reference strains of clone I, whereas another major ribotype (R2-2) was observed in 11 MDR Czech strains and in three reference strains of clone II. A selection of 59 Czech strains (representative of all ribotypes) and the 13 reference strains were investigated by AFLP fingerprinting. At a clustering level of 83%, two large clusters could be distinguished: cluster 1 included all reference strains of clone I and 25 MDR Czech strains, whilst cluster 2 contained all reference strains of clone II and 11 MDR Czech strains. There was a clear correlation between the groupings by AFLP analysis and by ribotyping, as all strains with ribotype R1-1 and four strains with slightly different ribotypes were found in AFLP cluster 1, whereas all strains with ribotype R2-2 and seven strains with similar ribotypes were in AFLP cluster 2. Thus, 41 and 21 MDR Czech strains could be classified as belonging to clones I and II, respectively. The remaining eight MDR and 15 susceptible strains were highly heterogeneous and were distinct from clones I and II by both AFLP fingerprinting and ribotyping. These results indicate that the two predominant groups observed among MDR Czech A. baumannii strains from the 1990s are genetically congruent with the north-western European epidemic clones that were found in the 1980s. Recognition of these clinically relevant, widespread clones is important in infection prevention and control; they are also interesting subjects to study genetic mechanisms that give rise to their antibiotic resistance and epidemic behaviour.

Acinetobacter Infections↗

Comparative classification of Acinetobacter baumannii strains using seven different typing methods.

A group of 49 Acinetobacter baumannii strains obtained from several hospital outbreaks and some sporadic cases were typed by biotyping, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), plasmid typing, multilocus enzyme electrophoresis, whole-cell protein profile, and Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. All these methods have shown a high degree of reproducibility and are capable of recognising strains from the same epidemiological event. However, their power to discriminate between epidemiologically unrelated strains varies, with PFGE being superior to the other methods investigated. FT-IR spectroscopy, which has not yet been used for typing of Acinetobacter strains, proved to be a very rapid and highly reproducible method, but was somewhat limited in its discriminating power.

Acinetobacter↗

Environmental contamination during a carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii outbreak in an intensive care unit.

During a three-month period in 1999, 25 strains of carbapenem resistant Acinetobacter baumannii were isolated from 12 of 170 hospitalized intensive care unit (ICU) patients, of which 16 were considered to be clinically significant. These strains were indistinguishable by biotyping and antibiograms, but genotyping was not performed. Appropriate antibiotic treatment, isolation precautions, and infection control education of the staff failed to halt the outbreak. Environmental contamination was therefore investigated, and A. baumannii was found out in 22 (39.3%) of 56 environmental samples obtained by swabbing. Different antibiotic sensitivity patterns were obtained in the majority of these isolates, but four (7.1%) of the strains were found to have the same sensitivity pattern as the strain causing the outbreak. As a result the ICU was closed, equipment and the environment cleaned, with hypochlorite and terminal disinfection carried out. No bacteria were grown on repeat environmental cultures. Environmental contamination has an important reservoir role in outbreaks of A. baumannii in ICUs and must be eradicated in order to overcome such outbreaks.

Acinetobacter Infections↗

Bacteriological, clinical and epidemiological characteristics of hospital-acquired Acinetobacter baumannii infection in a teaching hospital.

Over an 18 month period, the bacteriological, clinical and epidemiological characteristics of nosocomial Acinetobacter baumannii infections in a teaching hospital were studied. Typing studies were performed on 38 strains isolated from 36 patients. Twenty-two of the strains were isolated during the three outbreaks. Surgery, catheterization, mechanical ventilation, and antibiotic therapy for adult patients and respiratory distress syndrome, mechanical ventilation, and prematurity for paediatric patients were the main risk factors identified. All isolates were resistant to penicillins (except ampicillin-sulbactam), cephalosporins, gentamicin, and aztreonam but susceptible to carbapenems and colistin. Resistance to tobramycin, ciprofloxacin, ampicillin-sulbactam, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and amikacin was variable. Antibiotyping, arbitrarily-primed polymerase chain reaction (AP-PCR) and the pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) indicated the epidemiological relationship. The outbreak strains, demonstrated genetic distinction between our three outbreaks and isolates from specific areas in the hospital.

Acinetobacter Infections↗

Control of an outbreak of multi-drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in an intensive care unit and a surgical ward.

We describe an outbreak of multi-drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MRAB) that occurred in an intensive care unit (ICU) and a surgical ward from December 2003 to March 2004. Mapping patient movements on a timeline indicated that the outbreak was confined to these two areas. Investigation by the hospital's infection prevention service found that a possible source of spread was improper cleaning methods used on respiratory equipment. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis of available isolates indicated the presence of two distinct strains. One strain was seen in patients from the ICU and the other strain was seen in the surgical ward patients. Cleaning and environmental decontamination as well as staff education were implemented to halt further immediate spread. The deficiencies identified during the investigation were also resolved. The final outcome was the successful termination of this outbreak.

Acinetobacter Infections↗

Long-term dissemination of an OXA-40 carbapenemase-producing Acinetobacter baumannii clone in the Iberian Peninsula.

OBJECTIVE: The main objectives of this study were to assess the clonal relatedness of Acinetobacter baumannii carbapenem-resistant isolates recovered from the Iberian Peninsula and to investigate the production of carbapenemases. METHODS: One hundred and sixty-two imipenem-resistant A. baumannii isolates were collected from 1998 to 2003 in three Portuguese university hospitals. An imipenem-resistant isolate (988FFP strain) recovered in 1995 from a smaller hospital unit, was also included, as well as an OXA-40-producing A. baumannii Spanish strain (SM28). Susceptibility tests were carried out by disc diffusion and Etest methods. DNA fingerprints were obtained by PFGE of ApaI-digested chromosomal DNA. Carbapenemase activity was determined by a bioassay and spectrophotometry. The detection of the blaOXA-40 gene was conducted through PCR analysis, cloning and nucleotide sequencing. RESULTS: All the isolates presented a similar multi-resistance pattern, including imipenem (MIC >32 mg/L). The Iberian isolates showed an identical PFGE pattern with minor band variations, including isolate 988FFP collected in 1995. PCR results revealed a blaOXA-type gene in 65 isolates and nucleotide sequence analysis revealed the presence of the blaOXA-40 gene in seven representative Portuguese isolates from the various geographically dispersed hospitals. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that a multi-resistant epidemic clone of A. baumannii, carrying blaOXA-40, is disseminated in the Iberian Peninsula, persisting in Portugal since 1995.

Acinetobacter Infections↗

Interactions of colistin and rifampin on multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii.

The increased incidence of nosocomial infections by multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter spp creates demand on the application of some combinations of older antimicrobials on that species. The in vitro activities of colistin and of rifampin and of their interaction were tested on 39 nosocomial isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii. All isolates were resistant to ampicillin/sulbactam, to 3(rd) and 4(th) generation cephalosporins, to amikacin and to ciprofloxacin. MICs were determined by a microdilution technique and interactive studies between 1x or 4x MIC of colistin and rifampin were performed by the time-kill assay. Rifampin was applied at a concentration of 2 microg/mL which is equal to its mean serum level. All isolates were inhibited by colistin and only 15.2% by rifampin. Synergy between 1x MIC of colistin and rifampin was detected in 15.4% of isolates at 6 h of growth and in 51.3% of isolates at 24 h of growth. Synergy between 4x MIC of colistin and rifampin was detected in 15.4% of isolates at 6 h of growth and in 66.7% of isolates at 24 h of growth. It is concluded that colistin is highly active on multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter spp and its activity on A.baumannii is increased in the presence of rifampin, so that their administration might be proposed for nosocomial infections by these isolates.

Acinetobacter↗

Evaluation of antibiotic synergy against Acinetobacter baumannii: a comparison with Etest, time-kill, and checkerboard methods.

Acinetobacter baumannii is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, often requiring combination therapy. Numerous methods exist to detect the presence of in vitro synergy with the time-kill and checkerboard tests being widely used. The Epsilometer test (E test) is a new method that is less labor intensive, but has not been evaluated using a wide range of antimicrobials and organisms. We assessed synergy using the time-kill and checkerboard tests and compared the results to the E test method using 10 clinical isolates of A. baumannii. Antimicrobial combinations evaluated consisted of trovafloxacin or tobramycin in combination with cefepime or piperacillin. Synergy was detected with all combinations by either the checkerboard or time-kill method. Synergy was not detected by the Etest method. The agreement between the time-kill test and Etest method was 72% (range 42-97%); for the time-kill and checkerboard tests, agreement was 51% (range 30-67%). The Etest method appears promising although further testing should be performed with additional antimicrobial agents and organisms.

Acinetobacter↗

[Carbapenemase detection in Acinetobacter baumannii clones resistant to imipenem].

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to detect carbapenemases in imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolates obtained in the microbiology department of a Basque Country Public Health Service hospital over a period of 19 months, and to genetically characterize the resistant clones. METHODS: Susceptibility tests to imipenem, meropenem, ticarcillin, ceftazidime, cefotaxime, cefepime and aztreonam were done by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration on agar plates. A tRNA technique was used for species identification and PCR with primers ERIC2, AP3 and M13 for genetic typing of resistant isolates. Carbapenemase production was detected by the Hodge test and metallo-beta-lactamase by the EDTA test and Etest MBL. RESULTS: A total of 76 isolates were resistant to imipenem and 49 of these were resistant to all the betalactam antibiotics tested. Genetic typing showed three predominant clones, denominated I (9 isolates), II (48 isolates) and III (8 isolates). Hodge and EDTA tests were positive in 45 and 8 isolates belonging to clone II, 8 and 4 belonging to clone I and 7 and 3 belonging to clone III, respectively. The Etest confirmed 7 results (45% of the 17 positive EDTA test isolates). CONCLUSION: Our results show that one factor contributing to the high level of imipenem resistance in the isolates analyzed is dissemination of a predominant, multiresistant clone able to produce OXA-type carbapenemases and metallo-beta-lactamases.

Acinetobacter Infections↗

In vitro activities of nontraditional antimicrobials against multiresistant Acinetobacter baumannii strains isolated in an intensive care unit outbreak.

Fifteen multiresistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolates from patients in intensive care units and 14 nonoutbreak strains were tested to determine in vitro activities of nontraditional antimicrobials, including cefepime, meropenem, netilmicin, azithromycin, doxycycline, rifampin, sulbactam, and trovafloxacin. The latter five drugs were further tested against four of the strains for bactericidal or bacteriostatic activity by performing kill-curve studies at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 times their MICs. In addition, novel combinations of drugs with sulbactam were examined for synergistic interactions by using a checkerboard configuration. MICs at which 90% of the isolates tested were inhibited for antimicrobials showing activity against the multiresistant A. baumannii strains were as follows (in parentheses): doxycycline (1 microg/ml), azithromycin (4 microg/ml), netilmicin (1 microg/ml), rifampin (8 microg/ml), polymyxin (0.8 U/ml), meropenem (4 microg/ml), trovafloxacin (4 microg/ml), and sulbactam (8 microg/ml). In the kill-curve studies, azithromycin and rifampin were rapidly bactericidal while sulbactam was more slowly bactericidal. Trovafloxacin and doxycycline were bacteriostatic. None of the antimicrobials tested were bactericidal against all strains tested. The synergy studies demonstrated that the combinations of sulbactam with azithromycin, rifampin, doxycycline, or trovafloxacin were generally additive or indifferent.

Acinetobacter↗

Dissemination of a clone of unusual phenotype of pandrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii at a university hospital in Taiwan.

From December 2002 to February 2003, 15 isolates of pandrug-resistant unidentified Acinetobacter species were recovered from seven patients treated on different wards or intensive care units. Both 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism profiles and sequence analysis of these isolates identified them as Acinetobacter baumannii. This pandrug-resistant A. baumannii strain with an unusual phenotype could persist in humans for long periods and was widely disseminated throughout the hospital.

Acinetobacter Infections↗

Biochemical characteristics of a carbapenemase from an Acinetobacter baumannii isolate collected in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Three carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolates were collected at a hospital in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Isoelectric focusing revealed multiple beta-lactamases, with two of the isolates showing identical profiles. A pI 6.9 carbapenemase with a molecular weight of 30 kDa was purified from one of these two isolates. The enzyme was predominantly a penicillinase, with its highest Vmax for oxacillin but highest Vmax/Km for benzylpenicillin. First-generation cephalosporins and imipenem were weaker substrates than penicillins, and oxyimino-aminothiazolyl cephalosporins were essentially stable. Meropenem-hydrolysing activity was not detected, despite resistance. The carbapenemase was inhibited by clavulanic acid and tazobactam, but not by EDTA. These kinetics place the enzyme into functional group 2; as an oxacillinase it could be placed in sub-group 2d or, as a zinc-independent carbapenemase, in sub-group 2f.

Acinetobacter↗

Activity of tigecycline (GAR-936) against Acinetobacter baumannii strains, including those resistant to imipenem.

We determined the in vitro activities of tigecycline and imipenem against 49 isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii, including those resistant to imipenem. The MIC at which 50% of the isolates were inhibited (MIC(50)) and the MIC(90) for tigecycline and imipenem were 2 and 2 mg/liter and 32 and 128 mg/liter, respectively, with 92 and 20%, respectively, of the strains being susceptible. Tigecycline did not show bactericidal activity in the time-kill studies (n = 9 strains). Imipenem showed bactericidal activity against seven out of nine strains. These in vitro results show that tigecycline has good in vitro bacteriostatic activity against A. baumannii, including strains resistant to imipenem.

Acinetobacter baumannii↗

Biotyping, serotyping and ribotyping as epidemiological tools in the evaluation of Acinetobacter baumannii dissemination in hospital units, Sorocaba, São Paulo, Brazil.

Dissemination of Acinetobacter baumannii strains in different units of a hospital in Sorocaba, São Paulo, Brazil was evaluated over a period of two years. By using biotyping, serotyping and ribotyping, 27 distinct clones were differentiated among 76 strains isolated between 1993-94, from clinical specimens of hospitalized patients. Two clones, 2:O4:A (biotype:serotype:ribotype) and 2:O29:A accounted for the majority of strains widely disseminated in the units during 1993. The introduction in the hospital setting, of a new clone, 6:O13:B, at the end of 1993 and its predominance through 1994 is discussed. Among 15 strains isolated from neonates, 6 (40%) belonged to the same clone, 2:O4:A. Interestingly, this clone was almost all recovered in neonatal intensive care unit, nursery and in pediatric unit. All strains were susceptible to imipenem and polymyxcin B. Multiresistant strains (up to 12 antimicrobial agents) accounted for 66.7% and 84.8% of the strains isolated in 1993 and in 1994, respectively.

Acinetobacter↗