Risk of transmission of imipenem-resistantPseudomonas aeruginosa through use of mobile bathing service

Abstract

Objectives: The demand for mobile bathing service (MBS) is increasing in the Japanese society. Therefore, we assessed the risk of MBS-associated infection in MBS clients and their caregivers by examining the bacterial colonization of MBS equipment and utensils.Methods: Bacterial isolates collected by the stamp agar culture method were examined by disk diffusion assay for their susceptibility to the following drugs: imipenem, ciprofloxacin, amikacin, azutreonam, ceftazidim, meropenem, piperacillin, tobramycin, ofloxacin and cefoperazone. Furthermore, these isolates were subtyped by SpeI-pulsed field gel electrophoresis (SpeI-PFGE).Results: Fifty-four P. aeruginosa isolates were recovered from different sampling sites, and of these, 26 (47.3%) were isolated from pillows. Eighteen isolates (33.3%) were imipenem (IPM) resistant. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 17 isolates were between 16 and 32 μg/ml, and the MIC of one isolate was greater than 32 μg/ml. The SpeI-PFGE typing of IPM-resistant isolates revealed that 13 of the 18 isolates were closely related (F=1.0-0.87).Conclusion: Our findings suggest that MBS equipment and utensils, particularly pillows, are the primary sources of bacterial contamination and transmission and that there is a risk of MBS-mediated infection among MBS clients and their caregivers.

Prevalence and Antimicrobial-Resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Swimming Pools and Hot Tubs

“…Although P. aeruginosa is a model of antimicrobial resistance (due to a number of intrinsic factors), past research has found that the degree of resistance to antipseudomonal agents varies considerably. The current results are similar to past studies, which have found analogous prevalence levels of resistant P. aeruginosa in both the hospital and community [ 4 , 10 ].…”

“…P. aeruginosa has been implicated in numerous nosocomial and community outbreaks, with therapy tanks and whirlpools frequently acting as the environmental reservoir [8–10]. Complex or hard to clean piping has been noted as a factor in P. aeruginosa contamination; in nosocomial and household settings, contaminated sinks and shower heads have been a common reservoir for P. aeruginosa , where the inaccessible armature is nearly impossible to adequately decontaminate [8,11].…”

“…Indoor recreational water is an important reservoir for P. aeruginosa and is a meaningful exposure pathway for bacterial transmission, where wet skin and occlusion provide optimal conditions for P. aeruginosa to thrive [ 8 ]. P. aeruginosa has been implicated in numerous nosocomial and community outbreaks, with therapy tanks and whirlpools frequently acting as the environmental reservoir [ 8 – 10 ]. Complex or hard to clean piping has been noted as a factor in P. aeruginosa contamination; in nosocomial and household settings, contaminated sinks and shower heads have been a common reservoir for P. aeruginosa , where the inaccessible armature is nearly impossible to adequately decontaminate [ 8 , 11 ].…”

Antibiotic Synergy Interaction against Multidrug-ResistantPseudomonas aeruginosaIsolated from an Abattoir Effluent Environment

“…Although P. aeruginosa is a model of antimicrobial resistance (due to a number of intrinsic factors), past research has found that the degree of resistance to antipseudomonal agents varies considerably. The current results are similar to past studies, which have found analogous prevalence levels of resistant P. aeruginosa in both the hospital and larger community [ 3 , 14 ]. Although the levels of resistance among our test isolates were similar to those previously reported, it is important to draw the distinction between a nosocomial setting and the nonclinical, nonoutbreak, abattoir setting of the present study.…”