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Plasmid DNA Fingerprinting of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus Subspecies anitratus From Intubated and Mechanically Ventilated Patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 June 2016

Alan I. Hartstein*
Affiliation:
Department of Hospital Infection Control, University Hospitals, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, Oregon Department of Medicine, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, Oregon Department of Clinical Pathology, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, Oregon
Virginia H. Morthland
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, Oregon
J. William Rourke Jr.
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Pathology, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, Oregon
Joan Freeman
Affiliation:
Department of Hospital Infection Control, University Hospitals, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, Oregon
Susan Garber
Affiliation:
Department of Hospital Infection Control, University Hospitals, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, Oregon
Renee Sykes
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Pathology, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, Oregon
Abdel L. Rashad
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Pathology, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, Oregon
*
Division of Infectious Diseases, L457, Oregon Health Sciences University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97201-3098

Abstract

Forty-three intubated and mechanically ventilated patients in five intensive care units (ICUs) of one hospital developed respiratory colonization or infection with Acinetobacter calcoaceticus subspecies anitratus over a 16-month interval. Neither the frequency nor rate of A anitratus isolation exceeded the hospital endemic norms. Single isolates from 34 of the patients were subtyped by plasmid DNA analysis, two biotyping systems and antimicrobial susceptibility to 24 drugs. Plasmid DNA fingerprints were distinct in 18 isolates (they differed from each other and all others), similar in two and identical or similar in ten. The latter group of isolates were recovered from patients in four ICUs. Reproducibility of biotyping was poor. Neither biotyping nor antimicrobial susceptibility were successful in identifying sameness among the group isolates nor differences among other isolates. We conclude that plasmid DNA fingerprinting should be used to assess the possibility of multiple patient transmissions of the same A anitratus strain in the absence of an obvious outbreak.

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 1990

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