The impact of Acinetobacter baumannii in the intensive care unit

Acinetobacter baumannii is a significant problem in critically ill patients. It is widespread, can colonise patients quickly and causes virulent infections. However, its overall impact on morbidity and mortality in the critically ill remains unmeasured. This study was designed to investigate A. baumannii colonisation and infection rates in a critically ill population over an 18-month period. Twenty-seven patients from a population of 347 were identified as having A. baumannii. Sixteen were colonised, whereas 11 were infected. Eleven of the 27 patients with A. baumannii died (41%). Of these, eight were colonised and three were infected. In the same period, 320 patients did not have A. baumannii and their mortality rate was 20% (n = 64). The mortality rate of patients with A. baumannii was significantly higher than that of patients without infection.