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Extensively drug-resistant Pseudomonas Aeruginosa outbreak in a burn unit: management and solutions

J Aguilera-Sáez1, V Andreu-Solà1, N Larrosa Escartín1

  • 1Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain.

Annals of Burns and Fire Disasters
|July 10, 2019
PubMed

Insights

An extensively drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa outbreak in a burn unit infected ten patients, causing two deaths. Environmental contamination from taps and drains was identified and resolved through rigorous disinfection and control measures.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Critical Care Medicine
  • Hospital Epidemiology

Background:

  • Infections pose a significant mortality risk for burn patients.
  • Multidrug-resistant bacteria outbreaks are a major concern in critical care and burn units.
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common pathogen in healthcare-associated infections.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe an outbreak of extensively drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a burn unit.
  • To identify the source and transmission routes of the outbreak.
  • To evaluate the effectiveness of control measures.

Main Methods:

  • A descriptive study of infected/colonized patients.
  • Bacterial colonization screening of all admitted patients.
  • Microbiological environmental sampling to identify the source.
  • Implementation of contact isolation, cohortization, and environmental control measures.

Main Results:

  • An outbreak caused by a colistin-sensitive Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain affected ten patients, resulting in two fatalities.
  • The outbreak strain was detected in taps and drains within the burn unit.
  • Implementation of enhanced disinfection, environmental modifications, and filtration effectively controlled the outbreak.

Conclusions:

  • Healthcare-associated infections with extensively drug-resistant bacteria pose a serious threat in burn units.
  • Environmental contamination, particularly from water systems, can be a significant source of multidrug-resistant organism outbreaks.
  • A multi-faceted approach involving environmental control and patient management is crucial for outbreak containment.
Keywords:
Pseudomonas aeruginosaburn centreburnsextensively drug-resistantoutbreak

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