Analysis of four carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii outbreaks using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy

We used Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to analyze 4 carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii outbreaks. FTIR distinguished between isolates from different hospitals and uncovered the relatedness between isolates from acute-care hospitals and a post-acute-care hospital. Using higher cutoffs reveals more distant relationships and lower cutoffs support analyses of recent events.

Automated summary

FTIR spectroscopy was used to analyze 4 outbreaks of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. It was able to distinguish isolates from different hospitals and uncover the relatedness between isolates from acute-care hospitals and a post-acute-care hospital. The choice of cutoffs influenced the detection of distant or recent relationships.