Acinetobacter baumannii nosocomial infections

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Microbiology
• Hospital Epidemiology

Background:

• Nosocomial infections caused by Acinetobacter baumannii pose a growing clinical challenge.
• The emergence of multidrug-resistant strains significantly limits therapeutic options.
• Understanding infection rates and antimicrobial susceptibility is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the incidence of Acinetobacter baumannii infections at Maria Skłodowska-Curie Memorial Hospital in Zgierz.
• To analyze the antimicrobial susceptibility spectrum of isolated Acinetobacter baumannii strains.
• To focus on infection rates and resistance patterns in surgical wards.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of Acinetobacter baumannii isolates from January to December 2011.
• Bacterial identification using VITEK 2 GN card and automated system.
• Antimicrobial susceptibility testing via AST NO 93 card, with MIC determination for carbapenem resistance and MBL verification.

Main Results:

• Acinetobacter baumannii accounted for 10.31% of all positive cultures, with 140 cases identified.
• Infection rates varied by ward: Intensive Care Unit (48%), Surgical Departments (20%), Internal Diseases (16%), Neurology (13%).
• High susceptibility was observed for colistin (90%), imipenem (64%), and meropenem (43%). Resistance was noted against ampicillin-sulbactam (72%), amikacin (73%), gentamicin (76%), cefepime (91%), ceftazidime (93%), and ciprofloxacin (93%).

Conclusions:

• Acinetobacter baumannii represents a significant proportion of nosocomial infections, predominantly in surgical and intensive care units.
• The species exhibits widespread resistance to multiple antibiotics.
• Colistin and carbapenems remain the most effective agents against Acinetobacter baumannii infections in this setting.