Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolates in pediatric patients of a university hospital in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Acinetobacter baumannii is one of the common nosocomial pathogens, and the emergence of multidrug-resistant A. baumannii (MDRAB) is a therapeutic problem. We describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of MDRAB colonization/infection in pediatric patients at the National Taiwan University Hospital. METHODS: Fifty two pediatric patients with 205 MDRAB isolates collected between April 2000 and December 2005 were included for investigation of their clinical characters, presentations, and outcome. RESULTS: Among these 205 isolates, 20 (9.8%) were from sterile body sites (11 from blood, 8 from catheter tips, and 1 from ascites), 154 (75.1%) from respiratory sites, 18 (8.8%) from skin or wound pus, 5 (2.4%) from urine, and 8 (3.9%) from other sites. The mean age was 6 years. The common underlying diseases were haematological or oncological diseases (n = 15, 28.8%), neonatal disorders (6, 11.5%), cyanotic congenital heart diseases (10, 19.2%), neurology disorders (12, 23.1%), and gastrointestinal tract disorders (3, 5.8%). Seventeen patients (32.7%) had received major surgery, and 48 (92.3%) had used ventilators. Fourteen patients (26.9%) had neutropenia and 46 (88.5%) had used broad-spectrum antibiotics. There were 31 patients (59.6%) with suspected or proven MDRAB infections, including sepsis (9 patients), pneumonia (19), wound infections (3), urinary tract infections (2), peritonitis (1), and perineal infection (1). Seven (77.8%) of the 9 sepsis patients died. The overall mortality rate was 42.3% (22 cases). CONCLUSIONS: The threat of MDRAB has been recognized in our hospital for several years. Host defense deficiencies, prolonged intensive care unit hospitalizations, and prior broad-spectrum antibiotic use play a major role in MDRAB infection and colonization.

Control of an outbreak of pandrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii colonization and infection in a neonatal intensive care unit.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the potential reservoir and mode of transmission of pandrug-resistant (PDR) Acinetobacter baumannii in a 7-day-old neonate who developed PDR A. baumannii bacteremia that was presumed to be the iceberg of a potential outbreak. DESIGN: Outbreak investigation based on a program of prospective hospital-wide surveillance for nosocomial infection. SETTING: A 24-bed neonatal intensive care unit in a 2,200-bed major teaching hospital in Taiwan that provides care for critically ill neonates born in this hospital and those transferred from other hospitals. INTERVENTIONS: Samples from 33 healthcare workers' hands and 40 samples from the environment were cultured. Surveillance cultures of anal swab specimens and sputum samples were performed for neonates on admission to the neonatal intensive care unit and every 2 weeks until discharge. The PDR A. baumannii isolates, defined as isolates resistant to all currently available systemic antimicrobials except polymyxin B, were analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Control measures consisted of implementing contact isolation, reinforcing hand hygiene adherence, cohorting of nurses, and environmental cleaning. RESULTS: One culture of an environmental sample and no cultures of samples from healthcare workers' hands grew PDR A. baumannii. The positive culture result involved a sample obtained from a ventilation tube used by the index patient. During the following 2 months, active surveillance identified PDR A. baumannii in 8 additional neonates, and isolates from 7 had the same electrokaryotype. Of the 9 neonates colonized or infected with PDR A. baumannii, 1 died from an unrelated condition. Reinforcement of infection control measures resulted in 100% adherence to proper hand hygiene protocol. The outbreak was stopped without compromising patient care. CONCLUSIONS: In the absence of environmental contamination, transient hand carriage by personnel who cared for neonates colonized or infected with PDR A. baumannii was suspected to be the mode of transmission. Vigilance, prompt intervention and strict adherence to hand hygiene protocol were the key factors that led to the successful control of this outbreak. Active surveillance appears to be an effective measure to identify potential transmitters and reservoirs of PDR A. baumannii.

Detection of human metapneumovirus in hospitalized children with acute respiratory tract infection using real-time RT-PCR in a hospital in northern Taiwan.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a newly discovered respiratory pathogen. This prospective hospital-based study investigated the clinical role and features of hMPV in Taiwan. METHODS: Respiratory specimens collected from hospitalized children with acute respiratory tract infection between September 1, 2003 and April 10, 2005 were screened for metapneumovirus using real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: During the study period, 930 specimens were obtained from 926 hospitalized children. After exclusion of 200 cases due to lack of clinical evidence of airway infection or diseases with known etiology, 726 were included in the analysis. Among these, 33 children had a positive result for hMPV infection. The majority of these patients were admitted during spring and early summer. Twenty-one (63.6%) were younger than 2 years of age. hMPV accounted for 13.3% of respiratory infections occurring between the ages of 18 and 24 months and was as common a respiratory pathogen as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in that age group. The 11 patients (33.3%) with underlying diseases had a similar disease course to those without underlying diseases. A co-pathogen was found in 11 patients (33.3%). Infected children between 2 and 5 years of age had significantly higher titers of hMPV in their respiratory specimens (103.88 copies/microL) than children younger than 2 years (102.26 copies/microL) (p = 0.013) and children older than 5 years (102.25 copies/microL) (p = 0.005). hMPV positive cases were significantly older than those with RSV infection (p = 0.002) and had a shorter duration of hospitalization (p = 0.001), fewer days of oxygen use (p = 0.001) and higher levels of C-reactive protein (p = 0.004). CONCLUSION: Metapneumovirus circulates in children in northern Taiwan during spring and early summer. hMPV was the most common respiratory pathogen in children aged between 18 and 24 months hospitalized with acute respiratory tract infection. Real-time RT-PCR is a sensitive method for investigating the epidemiology and diseases associated with hMPV.

Clinical management and outcome of childhood lung abscess: a 16-year experience.

In order to evaluate the clinical manifestations, management and outcome of childhood lung abscess, a retrospective chart review of 27 pediatric patients with International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision-Clinical Modification (ICD-9 CM) code of 503.1 (lung abscess) from August 1987 to August 2003 was conducted. Among the 27 patients (14 males and 13 females), 30% (8/27) were primary lung abscess and 70% (19/27) had underlying chronic diseases (secondary lung abscess). The predisposing factors of the primary group (n = 8) included 6 cases of respiratory tract infection, 1 with choking during swimming, and 1 with laceration wound. The underlying diseases in the secondary group (n = 19) included 10 cases of hematologic disorder (52%), 3 of congenital heart disease, 2 of central nervous system anomalies, and 1 each of hyperimmunoglobulin E syndrome, chronic lung disease, liver cirrhosis with fistula formation, and Swyer-James syndrome. Eleven patients (41%) underwent diagnostic tapping, including echo-guided aspiration (10 cases) and computed tomography-guided percutaneous needle aspiration (1 case). Positive yield rate from aspiration of lung abscess was 63.6% (7/11). Surgical intervention was performed in 8 (42%) of the secondary group and in 1 patient from the primary group. The pathogens were identified in 11 patients (41%): 5 with oral flora, 2 with Staphylococcus aureus plus other pathogens, 1 with S. aureus alone, 1 with Pseudomonas aeruginosa plus Proteus mirabilis, 1 with P. aeruginosa alone, and 1 with Aspergillus. The average duration of parenteral antibiotic use was 40 days. Five cases (18.5%) died due to poor control of the underlying diseases, and 4 of the patients (15%) had sequelae (2 with bronchiectasis and 2 with lung fibrosis). Seventy percent of lung abscess occurred in children with underlying medical conditions. Early percutaneous aspiration has an important role in identification of pathogens. Oral anaerobes and S. aureus are the core pathogens in primary lung abscess and gram-negative pathogens should also be considered in secondary lung abscess.