Summary
Between January and December 1988, 383 neonates were admitted to our neonatal intensive care unit. 1,991 swabs and blood cultures were tested bacteriologically. Among them 90 specimens obtained from 41 patients were positive forAcinetobacter calcoaceticus. During this period we discovered and treated three cases withA. calcoaceticus sepsis. Three additional cases had blood cultures positive for this bacterium without demonstrating any clinical signs of infection. There is good evidence that contaminated warm air humidifiers were the source of infection. A review of microbiological data for several months preceding the outbreak showed a definite increase in the presence ofA. calcoaceticus. The affected neonates required specific antibiotic therapy and intensive care. All of them survived. Conditions favoring the spread of these generally non-pathogenic bacteria and modes of preventive measures are discussed. The necessity of continuous bacteriological surveillance and careful disinfection of intensive care equipment is emphasized.
Zusammenfassung
Von Januar bis Dezember 1988 wurden 383 Früh- und Neugeborene auf unsere neonatologische Intensivstation aufgenommen. Von diesen Kindern wurden 1991 Abstriche und Blutkulturen bakteriologisch untersucht. Bei 41 Patienten konnte in 90 FällenAcinetobacter calcoaceticus nachgewiesen werden. Während dieser Zeit entdeckten und behandelten wir drei Fälle einer Sepsis durchA. calcoaceticus, in drei weiteren Fällen zeigten sich positive Blutkulturen ohne klinische Zeichen einer Infektion. Als Quelle der Infektionen konnten Warmluftvernebler entdeckt werden. Eine Untersuchung sämtlicher bakteriologischer Ergebnisse Monate vor Ausbruch der Infektion zeigte einen Anstieg der Häufigkeit vonA. calcoaceticus. Die betroffenen Kinder erhielten eine spezifische antibiotische und intensivmedizinische Therapie. Alle Kinder überlebten. Bedingungen, die ein Wachstum dieses primär apathogenen Keimes begünstigen, sowie präventive Maßnahmen werden diskutiert. Die Notwendigkeit kontinuierlicher bakteriologischer Untersuchungen und die sorgfältige Desinfektion von Ausrüstungsgegenständen einer Intensivstation werden betont.
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Schloesser, R.L., Laufkoetter, E.A., Lehners, T. et al. An outbreak of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus infection in a neonatal care unit. Infection 18, 230–233 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01643394
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01643394