Clinical and Molecular Epidemiology of Acinetobacter BaumanniiBloodstream Infections in an Endemic Setting

Aim:The transmission dynamics of Acinetobacter baumanniiin endemic settings, and the relation between microbial properties and patients’ clinical outcomes, are yet obscure and hampered by insufficient metadata. Methods & Results:Of 20 consecutive patients with A. baumanniibloodstream infection that were thoroughly analyzed at a single center, at least one transmission opportunity was evident for 85% of patients. This implies that patient-to-patient transmission is the major mode of A. baumanniiacquisitions in health facilities. Moreover, all patients who died immediately (<24 h of admission) were infected with a single clone (ST457; relative risk = 1.6; p = 0.05). Conclusion:This preliminary analysis should prompt further investigation by mapping genomic virulence determinants among A. baumanniiST457 lineage compared with other strains.