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Updated: May 10, 2026

Rapid and Specific Detection of Acinetobacter baumannii Infections Using a Recombinase Polymerase Amplification/Cas12a-based System
07:59

Rapid and Specific Detection of Acinetobacter baumannii Infections Using a Recombinase Polymerase Amplification/Cas12a-based System

Published on: April 25, 2025

Nosocomial infection by sequence type 357 multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolates in a neonatal

Ji Youn Sung1, Sun Hoe Koo, Hye Hyun Cho

  • 1Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Far East University, Eumseong, Korea.

Annals of Laboratory Medicine
|July 5, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii caused a nosocomial outbreak in a Korean neonatal intensive care unit. The study identified European clone II, ST357, susceptible to imipenem but resistant to other antibiotics.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Acinetobacter baumannii is a significant cause of hospital-acquired infections, particularly in intensive care units.
  • Neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) are vulnerable to outbreaks of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens.
  • Understanding the specific strains and resistance patterns of MDR A. baumannii is crucial for infection control.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate a nosocomial outbreak caused by multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in a Korean NICU.
  • To characterize the genetic profile and antimicrobial resistance patterns of the isolated A. baumannii strains.
  • To report the first occurrence of ST357 MDR/carbapenem-susceptible A. baumannii in a Korean NICU.

Main Methods:

  • Isolates were identified and characterized using Etest for antimicrobial susceptibility.
  • Multiplex PCR assays and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) were employed for genetic analysis.
  • PCR and PCR mapping were used to identify antimicrobial resistance determinants.

Main Results:

  • Eight A. baumannii strains isolated from the NICU belonged to the European (EU) clone II, specifically sequence type (ST) 357.
  • All isolates were susceptible to imipenem.
  • Isolates exhibited resistance to amikacin, gentamicin, ceftazidime, cefepime, and ciprofloxacin.

Conclusions:

  • This is the first report of a nosocomial infection in a Korean NICU caused by ST357 MDR/carbapenem-susceptible A. baumannii.
  • The findings highlight the potential for nosocomial outbreaks involving MDR/carbapenem-susceptible strains in NICUs.
  • Effective infection control strategies are essential to manage MDR A. baumannii in vulnerable neonatal populations.
Keywords:
Acinetobacter baumanniiCarbapenemNeonatal intensive care unitNosocomial infection

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