Acinetobacter baumannii:: emergence and spread in Israeli hospitals 1997-2002

The incidence of mutti-drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infections (BSIs) increased two- to four-fold in three Israeli hospitals between 1997 and 2002, accounting for 3.5 18 % of all hospital-acquired BSIs. This was associated with increasing carbapenem resistance reaching 35-54 %, and by a dramatic increase in carbapenem consumption. Inhospital fatality rates ranged between 47 % and 58 % and were significantly higher than those seen with other nosocomial. Gram-negative pathogens. A. boumannii was not restricted to intensive care units, but had spread to all hospital wards. Multi-drug-resistant A. boumannii has the potential to reach endemicity in hospitals and warrants more vigorous and innovative efforts to limit its spread. (c) 2005 The Hospital Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.