A Epidemiological Investigation of a Nosocomial Outbreak of Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in a Critical Care Center in Japan, 2011-2012

In 2011, a multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MDRAB) outbreak occurred at a Japanese critical care center (CCC) in a tertiary care hospital. Multidrug-resistance in Japan is defined as resistance to the antimicrobials amikacin, carbapenem, and fluoroquinolone. We conducted a retrospective epidemiological investigation of this outbreak to identify the risk factors for MDRAB respiratory tract acquisition in this hospital. Cases were defined as hospitalized patients with MDRAB-positive cultures at least 3 days post admission to the CCC between June 1, 2011 and April 20, 2012. Fifteen MDRAB cases were identified, including 3 with infection and 12 with colonization. This case-control study demonstrated that hypoalbuminemia along with carbapenem administration were associated with MDRAB respiratory tract acquisition. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis and multilocus sequence typing using MDRAB isolates suggested a clonal dissemination of MDRAB strains with sequence type 74 occurred primarily among patients admitted to the CCC. From April 16, 2012, a decreased isolation rate of MDRAB in the hospital occurred after the implementation of the following infection control measures: closing the emergency room, discontinuing admission to the CCC, isolating patients with MDRAB colonization or infection to single room status, and conducting environmental cleaning. No MDRAB cases were detected between March 23 and April 20, 2012.