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Rapid and Specific Detection of Acinetobacter baumannii Infections Using a Recombinase Polymerase Amplification/Cas12a-based System
Published on: April 25, 2025
Infection control measures to stop the spread of sequence type 15 OXA-23-producing Acinetobacter baumannii in a
Marie Lindblad1, Susanne Sütterlin2, Eva Tano3
1Department of Surgical Sciences, Plastic Surgery, Uppsala University, Sweden; Burn Center, Department of Plastic and Maxillofacial Surgery, Uppsala University Hospital, Sweden.
Objective:
To describe the course of the outbreak and infection control measures to stop the spread of sequence type 15 OXA-23-producing Acinetobacter baumannii in the Burn Center of Uppsala University Hospital, between November 2014 and the end of April 2015.
Methods:
Compliance with hand hygiene, dress code, and cleaning routines were reviewed, the ward's environment was systematically investigated to identify potential environmental sources. Sampling routines for A. baumannii, from patients and environment, were established, and the epidemiological relationship was analysed for all carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii isolates using arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (AP-PCR) and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE).
Results:
A total of 54 patients were treated at the burn intensive care unit during the studied, approximately five months period, and an OXA-23-producing A. baumannii was isolated from nine patients (9/54, 17%), whereof two died (2/9, 22.2%). All isolates shared identical PFGE-genotype patterns and belonged to sequence type 15; AP-PCR was eligible for prompt epidemiological investigations.
Conclusions:
Higher awareness and increased compliance with hand hygiene and dress code as well as intensified cleaning protocols of the environment and equipment were successfully established and likely to have led to stop the spread of sequence type 15 OXA-23-producing Acinetobacter baumannii.
Insights
An outbreak of OXA-23-producing Acinetobacter baumannii (sequence type 15) in a burn center was controlled by enhanced infection control measures. Increased compliance with hygiene and cleaning protocols stopped the spread of this multidrug-resistant organism.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Acinetobacter baumannii is a significant nosocomial pathogen, particularly concerning in intensive care units.
- Carbapenem-resistant strains, such as OXA-23-producing Acinetobacter baumannii, pose a substantial threat due to limited treatment options.
- Outbreaks of multidrug-resistant organisms require rapid and effective infection control strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To document the course of an outbreak caused by sequence type 15 OXA-23-producing Acinetobacter baumannii.
- To describe the infection control interventions implemented to halt the spread of this pathogen.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of these measures in a specialized burn center.
Main Methods:
- Epidemiological investigation of patient and environmental samples.
- Molecular typing of Acinetobacter baumannii isolates using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (AP-PCR).
- Review of compliance with hand hygiene, dress code, and environmental cleaning protocols.
Main Results:
- Nine out of 54 patients (17%) were infected with OXA-23-producing Acinetobacter baumannii.
- All identified isolates were sequence type 15 with identical PFGE patterns, indicating a clonal outbreak.
- AP-PCR proved useful for rapid epidemiological analysis during the outbreak.
Conclusions:
- Enhanced infection control measures, including improved hand hygiene, dress code adherence, and intensified environmental cleaning, were successfully implemented.
- These interventions were likely effective in controlling and stopping the spread of sequence type 15 OXA-23-producing Acinetobacter baumannii.
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