Multiple sequence types responsible for healthcare-associated Acinetobacter baumannii dissemination in a single
Leena Al-Hassan1, Mai M Zafer2, Hadir El-Mahallawy3
1Department of Global Health and Infection, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, G.19 Medical Research Building Brighton, Brighton, BN1 9PX, UK. L-al-hassan@bsms.ac.uk.
Background:
Acinetobacter baumannii is an increasingly worrying organism in the healthcare setting, due to its multidrug resistance and persistence. Prolonged hospitalisation, immunocompromised patients and excessive antibiotic exposure all contribute to increasing the risk of A. baumannii infections, which makes cancer patients a significant risk group. This study aims to investigate the dissemination of A. baumannii at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Cairo - Egypt.
Methods:
All bacterial isolates were typed using Multi-locus Sequence Typing (MLST) to characterise the epidemiology of isolates. The intrinsic OXA-51-like, and the acquired carbapanemases OXA-23, - 24/40, - 58, NDM, IMP, and VIM were also amplified and sequenced to genetically identify mechanisms of carbapenem resistance.
Results:
MLST results show a high degree of multi-clonal dissemination, with 18 different Sequence Types (STs) identified, including 5 novel. The majority of isolates belonged to International Clone (IC) 2, and carbapenem resistance was detected in 93% of isolates and mediated by blaOXA-23, blaOXA-58, blaNDM-1 and blaVIM-1. We also report the presence of a resistant ST732 (OXA-378) which has been previously identified in migratory birds. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple highly resistant clones were identified in a Cancer hospital in Cairo. It is vital that clinicians and healthcare workers are aware of the population of A. baumannii present in order to have appropriate treatment and infection control practices.
Insights
Highly drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii strains are spreading among cancer patients in Cairo. Understanding these multidrug-resistant clones is crucial for effective infection control and treatment in healthcare settings.
Area of Science:
- Clinical microbiology
- Infectious diseases
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Acinetobacter baumannii is a significant healthcare-associated pathogen due to its multidrug resistance.
- Cancer patients are a high-risk group for A. baumannii infections.
- This study investigated A. baumannii dissemination at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Cairo, Egypt.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the epidemiology of Acinetobacter baumannii isolates at a cancer hospital in Cairo.
- To identify the genetic mechanisms of carbapenem resistance in these isolates.
Main Methods:
- Multi-locus Sequence Typing (MLST) was used to determine isolate epidemiology.
- Genetic analysis was performed to identify carbapenemase genes (OXA-51-like, OXA-23, OXA-24/40, OXA-58, NDM, IMP, VIM).
Main Results:
- Multi-locus Sequence Typing revealed 18 Sequence Types (STs), including 5 novel ones, indicating multi-clonal dissemination.
- The majority of isolates belonged to International Clone 2 (IC2).
- Carbapenem resistance was prevalent (93%) and mediated by blaOXA-23, blaOXA-58, blaNDM-1, and blaVIM-1 genes. ST732 (OXA-378) was also identified.
Conclusions:
- Multiple, highly resistant Acinetobacter baumannii clones are circulating in a Cairo cancer hospital.
- Awareness of prevalent A. baumannii populations is essential for appropriate clinical treatment and infection control strategies.
More Related Videos
07:59Rapid and Specific Detection of Acinetobacter baumannii Infections Using a Recombinase Polymerase Amplification/Cas12a-based System
Published on: April 25, 2025
08:37The Application of Open Searching-based Approaches for the Identification of Acinetobacter baumannii O-linked Glycopeptides
Published on: November 2, 2021
Related Concept Videos
01:22Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
01:26Healthcare Associated Infections I: Iatrogenic, Exogenic and Endogenic
HAIs significantly increase the cost of health care. Extended stays in healthcare institutions, increased disability, increased costs of medications, including specialized antibiotics, and prolonged recovery times add to the patient's expenses and the healthcare institution and funding bodies.