Clinical and demographic features of infection caused by Acinetobacter species

Recently, Acinetobacter emerged as an important pathogen and the prevalence of isolation has increased since the last two decades worldwide.

To determine Acinetobacter incidence, their clinical demography, antibiotyping and speciation.

A study of the clinical samples submitted to microbiology laboratory of a teaching hospital over a period of 3 years (December 1994 through November 1997).

Identification, speciation and antibiotyping were performed for the isolates of Acinetobacter recovered from infective samples. Clinical demographic characteristics were studied retrospectively.

Total 510 of 5391 (9.6%) of isolates were Acinetobacter, responsible for 71.2% (363 of 510) monomicrobial and 28.8% (147 of 510) polymicrobial infections. The organism was responsible for 156 (30.6%) cases of urinary tract infection and 140 (27.5%) cases of wound infection and was most prevalent in the intensive care unit (30.8%, 140 of 455). The crude mortality rate due to multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter septicemia was 7.9% (36 of 455). The isolates could be classified into 7 species, with A. baumannii being most predominant. No peculiar pattern during antibiotyping was observed, but most of them were multi-drug resistant.

Multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter nosocomial infection has emerged as an increasing problem in intensive care units of the hospital, responsible for 7.9% deaths. The analysis of risk factors and susceptibility pattern will be useful in understanding epidemiology of this organism in a hospital setup.