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Importation of Acinetobacter baumannii Into a Burn Unit: A Recurrent Outbreak of Infection Associated With Widespread Environmental Contamination

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Giorgio Zanetti*
Affiliation:
Service of Hospital Preventive Medicine, University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland Service of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
Dominique S. Blanc
Affiliation:
Service of Hospital Preventive Medicine, University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
Isabelle Federli
Affiliation:
Service of Hospital Preventive Medicine, University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
Wassim Raffoul
Affiliation:
Service of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
Christiane Petignat
Affiliation:
Service of Hospital Preventive Medicine, University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
Philippe Maravic
Affiliation:
Service of Surgical Intensive Care and Burn Center, Department of Surgery, University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
Patrick Francioli
Affiliation:
Service of Hospital Preventive Medicine, University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland Service of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
Mette M. Berger
Affiliation:
Service of Surgical Intensive Care and Burn Center, Department of Surgery, University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
*
Service of Hospital Preventive Medicine, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland ([email protected])

Abstract

A burn patient was infected with Acinetobacter baumannii on transfer to the hospital after a terrorist attack. Two patients experienced cross-infection. Environmental swab samples were negative for A. baumannii. Six months later, the bacteria reemerged in 6 Patients. Environmental swab samples obtained at this time were inoculated into a minimal mineral broth, and culture results showed widespread contamination. No case of infection occurred after closure of the unit for disinfection.

Type
Concise Communication
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2007

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