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Author Spotlight: A Comprehensive Protocol for Acinetobacter Biofilm Quantification, Assessment, and Visualization
Published on: August 4, 2023
Isolation of extensively drug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii from environmental surfaces inside intensive care
Qutaiba Ababneh1, Sally Abulaila1, Ziad Jaradat1
1Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Science and Arts, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.
Background:
Acinetobacter baumannii is a nosocomial pathogen that has emerged as a major threat in the health-care settings, particularly intensive care units (ICUs). The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of A. baumannii in the environment of intensive care and emergency units in 4 hospitals in Jordan.
Methods:
A total of 311 surface and 26 air samples were collected from 6 different ICUs and 2 emergency units. Examined high-touch surfaces included bed rails, sinks, food tables, trolley handles, ventilator inlets, blankets, sheets, door handles, light switches, bedside tables and drawers, curtains, normal saline stands and neonatal incubators. A. baumannii isolates were identified by CHROMagar and confirmed using 2 different PCR assays. All obtained isolates were characterized for their antibiotic resistance phenotypes, biofilm formation capacities and were typed by multi-locus sequence typing.
Results:
Of the 337 samples, 24 A. baumannii isolates were recovered, mostly from surfaces in the internal medicine ICUs. Among the 24 isolates, 10 isolates were classified as extensively-resistant (XDR), harbored the blaOXA-23 like gene and able to form biofilms with varying capacities. ST2 was the most frequent sequence type, with all ST2 isolates classified as XDRs.
Conclusions:
Our results showed that high-touch surfaces of adult and pediatric ICUs were contaminated with XDR A. baumannii isolates. Therefore, the cleaning practices of the surfaces and equipment surrounding ICU patients should be optimized, and health-care workers should continuously wash their hands and change their gloves constantly to control the spread of this pathogen.
Insights
Extensively-drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii was found on high-touch surfaces in intensive care units (ICUs) in Jordan. Improved cleaning and hand hygiene are crucial to control the spread of this nosocomial pathogen.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Hospital Epidemiology
Background:
- Acinetobacter baumannii is a significant nosocomial pathogen, posing a major threat in healthcare settings, especially intensive care units (ICUs).
- The emergence of multidrug-resistant strains necessitates understanding their environmental prevalence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of Acinetobacter baumannii in the environment of intensive care and emergency units.
- To characterize recovered isolates for antibiotic resistance, biofilm formation, and genetic relatedness.
Main Methods:
- Surface and air samples were collected from ICUs and emergency units in four Jordanian hospitals.
- Acinetobacter baumannii isolates were identified using CHROMagar and PCR, with further characterization including antibiotic resistance profiling, biofilm assays, and multi-locus sequence typing (MLST).
Main Results:
- Twenty-four Acinetobacter baumannii isolates were recovered from 337 samples, predominantly from surfaces in internal medicine ICUs.
- Ten isolates were extensively drug-resistant (XDR), carrying the blaOXA-23 gene and exhibiting biofilm formation capabilities.
- Sequence Type 2 (ST2) was the most common, with all ST2 isolates identified as XDR.
Conclusions:
- High-touch surfaces in adult and pediatric ICUs are contaminated with extensively drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii.
- Optimizing cleaning practices for surfaces and equipment is essential.
- Consistent hand hygiene and glove use by healthcare workers are critical for controlling pathogen spread.
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