Identification of carbapenem - resistant Acinetobacter calcoaceticus - Acinetobacter baumannii complex in ready-to-eat vegetables and meats in Hanoi

Abstract

Acinetobacter spp. are common pathogenic bacteria. The Acinetobacter genus includes 65 species, of which the Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-Acinetobacter baumannii complex group has been identified as the cause of more than 80% of hospital infections in immunocompromised patients. Existing phenotypic techniques are not sufficient to accurately identify and distinguish clinically important Acinetobacter spp. 288 (60%, n = 480) of ready-to-eat vegetable and meat samples collected from ready-to-eat shops contaminated with Acinetobacter spp in 6 districts in Hanoi, including Dong Da, Hoang Mai, Hai Ba Trung, Long Bien, Ha Dong, and Cau Giay. The results of identification by MALDI-TOF MS technique recorded 208 (43%, n = 480) of samples contaminated with Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-Acinetobacter baumannii complex, of which 156 (65%, n = 240) of vegetable and 52 (22%, n = 240) of meat samples. Antibiotic susceptibility tests using antibiotic paper strips showed that 82% of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-Acinetobacter baumannii complex strains were resistant to imipenem and 30% of the complex was resistant to meropenem.