Clinical and epidemiological investigations of Acinetobacter genomospecies 3 in a neonatal intensive care unit

Abstract

A prospective study of Acinetobacter isolates from a neonatal intensive care unit was performed for 24 months. Fifty-six isolates were obtained from 21 patients, and another eight were obtained from environmental specimens. Infection due to Acinetobacter organisms was established for 16 patients, 6 with septicemia, 9 with pneumonia, and 1 with a wound infection. Further investigations were performed with 38 representative isolates. Twenty-nine isolates were identified as unnamed DNA-DNA hybridization group (genomospecies) 3, three were identified as genomospecies 2 (Acinetobacter baumannii), one was identified as genomospecies 5 (Acinetobacter junii), three were identified as genomospecies 14, and two were unclassified. Eight distinguishable protein profiles, coded I through VIII, were found by cell envelope protein electrophoresis. Profile V, a common profile, was observed for 17 isolates that had been recovered from 11 patients and 1 dust specimen. These isolates, all of which belonged to genomospecies 3, had similar antibiograms and biotypes. This study has revealed that genomospecies 3 can be associated with infection and be spread in hospitals.

Molecular epidemiology of clinical Acinetobacter baumannii and Acinetobacter genomic species 13TU isolates using a multilocus sequencing typing scheme

“…baumannii ( Acb ) complex’ because they are very similar phenotypically and are often impossible to differentiate [13] . A. baumannii and Acinetobacter genomic species 13TU are responsible for most nosocomial infections, while Acinetobacter genomic species 3 is implicated less often in clinical disease [14], and A. calcoaceticus is an environmental organism that has been isolated rarely from clinical specimens.…”

Acinetobacter Skin Abscess in a Neonate

“…10 Acinetobacter skin infections, especially after surgery have been reported previously. Christo et al 11 found Acinetobacter in skin pustules in neonates and Horrevorts et al 12 in wound infections, but neither described abscesses.…”

Cell surface properties of Acinetobacter baumannii

“…Studies on A. baumannii isolated from clinical infections suggest that these bacteria are important nosocomial pathogens (5, 9,12,20). However, it is rather difficult to differentiate the environmental or just colonizing strains from those causing clinical infections.…”