[An Acinetobacter baumanii outbreak at the Versailles Hospital Center]

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Epidemiology

Context:

• Acinetobacter baumannii is a multidrug-resistant bacterium frequently causing nosocomial infections and hospital outbreaks.
• Controlling these outbreaks requires effective strain typing and infection control policies.
• An outbreak occurred at Centre Hospitalier de Versailles, necessitating investigation.

Purpose:

• To investigate an Acinetobacter baumannii outbreak by determining biotype, susceptibility patterns, and DNA macrorestriction patterns.
• To identify risk factors for A. baumannii acquisition using a case-control study.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of control measures.

Summary:

• Over two years, 38 patients were infected or colonized; 32 were in the ICU. Typing methods revealed four biotypes, multiple susceptibility patterns, and four epidemic strains, all linked to ICU patients.
• Environmental contamination in patient rooms (e.g., water taps, surfaces, mattresses) was identified as a significant risk factor.
• Implementation of strict hygienic measures, including hand washing, isolation, meticulous cleaning, and environmental controls, successfully halted new cases.

Impact:

• This study highlights the importance of molecular typing and case-control studies in investigating cross-infections.
• Effective control of A. baumannii outbreaks is achievable through rigorous application of infection prevention and control strategies.
• The findings underscore the critical role of environmental hygiene in preventing the spread of multidrug-resistant organisms in healthcare settings.