Molecular characterization of clinical multiresistant isolates of Acinetobacter sp. from hospitals in Porto Alegre, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: Hospitals around the world have presented multiresistant Acinetobacter sp. outbreaks. The spread of these isolates that harbor an increasing variety of resistance genes makes the treatment of these infections and their control within the hospital environment more difficult. This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence and dissemination of Acinetobacter sp. multiresistant isolates and to identify acquired resistance genes. Methods: We analyzed 274 clinical isolates of Acinetobacter sp. from five hospitals in Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. We evaluated the susceptibility to antimicrobial, acquired resistance genes from Ambler's classes B and D, and performed molecular typing of the isolates using enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus-polymerase chain reaction (ERIC-PCR) technique. Results: A high (68%) percentage of multiresistant isolates of Acinetobacter sp. was observed, and 69% were resistant to carbapenems. We identified 84% of isolates belonging to species A. baumannii because they presented the gene bla . The gene bla was detected in 62% of the isolates, and among these, 98% were resistant to carbapenems. Using the ERIC-PCR technique, we identified clones of Acinetobacter sp. spread among the four hospitals analyzed during the sampling period. Conclusions: The data indicate the dissemination of Acinetobacter sp. isolates among hospitals and their permanence in the hospital after one year.

Characterization and molecular epidemiology of extensively prevalent nosocomial isolates of drug-resistant Acinetobacter spp

“…Considering the diversity of the resistance genes, and the easy dissemination of A. baumannii, the study of the local epidemiology of isolates of Acinetobacter spp is of great importance to guide epidemiological control and to determine the best treatment, preventing intra-, or even inter-hospital dissemination of these microorganisms (Ferreira et al, 2011). In this regard, the ERIC-PCR technique emerges as a fast and low-cost alternative method that shows good results for genetic characterization of Acinetobacter spp isolates (Ferreira et al, 2011).…”

“…In this regard, the ERIC-PCR technique emerges as a fast and low-cost alternative method that shows good results for genetic characterization of Acinetobacter spp isolates (Ferreira et al, 2011).…”

“…The genus Acinetobacter is widely distributed in nature (Baumann, 1968;Ferreira et al, 2011) and includes 37 different species (Peleg et al, 2008). Among these, Acinetobacter baumannii is the most clinically relevant species (Martins and Barth, 2013) and has emerged as a major problem in health institutions due to its ubiquity, difficult eradication (resistance to desiccation, chemical sanitizers, and ultraviolet) (Cherkaoui et al, 2015), and high tendency to acquire resistance to antibiotics (Peleg et al, 2008;Chang et al, 2015).…”

High genetic diversity among Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. isolated in a public hospital in Brazil

“…Although some studies have used ERIC-PCR to epidemiologically study P. aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. nosocomial isolates in Brazil (Costa et al, 2006;Saalfeld et al, 2009;Stehling, Leite, Silveira, 2010;Ferreira et al, 2011;Viana et al, 2011), the specific epidemiology of these microorganisms remains unknown.…”

“…Although some studies have used ERIC-PCR to epidemiologically study P. aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. nosocomial isolates in Brazil (Costa et al, 2006;Saalfeld et al, 2009;Stehling, Leite, Silveira, 2010;Ferreira et al, 2011;Viana et al, 2011), the specific epidemiology of these microorganisms remains unknown.The main objective of the present study was to describe the genetic relationship among P. aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. clinical isolates using ERIC-PCR and report their resistance profiles against antimicrobial agents that are routinely used in a public university hospital in northwestern Paraná, Brazil.…”