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Correlation of typing methods for Acinetobacter isolates from hospital outbreaks
L Dijkshoorn1, H M Aucken, P Gerner-Smidt
1Department of Clinical Microbiology, University Hospital Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Journal of Clinical Microbiology
|March 1, 1993
Summary
Four methods were compared for identifying Acinetobacter strains from hospital outbreaks. While most methods agreed on the index strain, biotyping and antibiogram comparison were less effective for detailed strain identification.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
- Hospital Epidemiology
- Bacterial Strain Typing
Background:
- Acinetobacter species are significant nosocomial pathogens, frequently implicated in hospital-acquired infections.
- Accurate strain identification is crucial for effective outbreak investigation and infection control in healthcare settings.
- Multiple molecular and phenotypic methods exist for bacterial strain differentiation, each with varying discriminatory power.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate and compare the discriminatory capacity of four distinct methods for Acinetobacter strain identification.
- To assess the suitability of biotyping, cell envelope protein electrophoresis, ribotyping, and antibiogram comparison in hospital outbreak scenarios.
- To determine the most effective methods for accurately identifying index strains during Acinetobacter outbreaks.
Main Methods:
- Biotyping: Characterization based on biochemical properties.
- Cell Envelope Protein Electrophoresis (CEPE): Analysis of protein profiles in the bacterial cell wall.
- Ribotyping: Genetic fingerprinting based on ribosomal RNA gene sequences.
- Antibiogram Comparison: Assessment of antibiotic susceptibility patterns.
Main Results:
- Good concordance was observed among the four methods when identifying a common index strain across outbreaks.
- Biotyping and antibiogram comparison demonstrated lower discriminatory power compared to cell envelope protein electrophoresis and ribotyping.
- The study highlights variability in the effectiveness of different typing methods for Acinetobacter outbreak investigations.
Conclusions:
- While several methods can identify an index strain, biotyping and antibiogram comparison are less effective for detailed strain differentiation in Acinetobacter outbreaks.
- Cell envelope protein electrophoresis and ribotyping appear to be more discriminatory for Acinetobacter strain typing in hospital settings.
- The choice of method impacts the ability to resolve clonal relationships and track transmission during nosocomial outbreaks.