Genotyping of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii acquired from environment and patients in intensive care units by REP-PCR

Abstract

Objective To investigate the genotype of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter bauman- nii （CRAB） acquired from intensive care units （ICUs） environment in Shanghai hospitals and to evaluate the gene homology of CRAB isolated from patients and environment in ICUs in Shanghai hospital. Methods Sixty-one CRAB isolated from ICUs environment in Shanghai hospitals and 14 strains isolated from ICUs patients in S hospital were typed by REP-PCR based DiversiLab system. Results There were 7 types of the CRAB isolated from ICUs environment in Shanghai hospitals. Type G1 was the dominant type, accounting for 75.4% of all CRAB, mainly in 13 hospitals in Shanghai. The percentage of the 7 types CRAB strains were 75.4%, 13.1%, 3.3%, 1.6%, 1.6% ,3.3% and 1.6%, respectively. Except for 1 strain of type G6 isolated in D hospital, type G1 CRAB was identified in every hospital which was isolated CRAB. There were 25 strains isolated from patients and environment in S hospital ICUs, which were divided into 4 types. Type G1 was the dominant type mainly distributed in SICU and CICU, including 9 from patients and 8 from envi- ronment. The distribution diagram of environmental and patients＇ strains indicated that the patients in adja- cent bed isolated G1 CRAB in SICU and a patient in CICU and its surrounding environment both isolated G1 CRAB. Conclusion Type G1 is the dominant type in ICUs environment in Shanghai hospitals. There are inter-hospital transmission of CRAB in ICUs environment and highly homology of CRAB isolated from patients and environment in ICUs in Shanghai hospitals. Active surveillance of infection and colonization by CRAB, together with implementation of enhanced control strategies should be taken to eradicate CRAB in ICU environment. Key words: Acinetobacter baumannii ; Carbapenem-resistant ; ICU ; REP-PCR ; Genotype