Objective:

The aim of the study was to determinate the epidemiological patterns of Acinetobacter baumannii isolates in a tertiary Hospital.

Methods:

During the period from 01 January 2000 to 15 November 2003 we performed a prospective study of all medical charts from patients with A. baumanii isolates. Identification and susceptibility testing was performed by the VITEK II (Biomerieux) automatised system. A case of nosocomial infection was defined using the criteria established by the CDC (1998, USA).

Results:

During this period, 129 A. baumanii strains were collected from 115 patients: 60 (46%) were collected from patients hospitalised at medical ward, 43 (33%) isolates from surgery wards and 23 (17%) from the intensive care units patients. The average hospital stay before A. baumanii was detected was 37.2 days and the mean age was 61 years old (range 5 days to 92 years). The sources of isolates were as follows: wounds 51 (40%), respiratory specimens 29 (23%), urine 28 (22%), catheters nine (6%), blood seven (5%) and others samples five (3%). Forty of 129 (31%) were nosocomial infections: 12 (30%) urinary tract infections, eight (20%) surgical site infections, eight (20%) skin and soft tissues infections, seven (17.5%) bloodstream (six primary bacteraemia, one catheter-related infection) and five (12.5%) respiratory tract infections. Ninety-nine per cent of the isolates were susceptible to imipenem. Seventy-three per cent were susceptible to amikacin, 56.5% to piperacillin–tazobactam, and 43% to ceftazidime. We did not find outbreaks.

Conclusions:

At the moment A. baumanii is not yet a health problem in our hospital. However, in order to prevent nosocomial outbreaks and multiresistant strains, surveillance, antibiotic policies and infection control measures should be supported.