Dangerous bacteria that are resistant to most antibiotics can linger in hospitals for years. After increased, prolonged outbreaks in a hospital in Upper Austria, experts from the Agency for Food Safety and Health (AGES) sequenced the germs and identified the causes. The countermeasures were successful.
“In the spring of 2022, an increase in infections with metallo-beta-lactamase-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa germs (MBLA-Pa) was discovered in a hospital in Upper Austria,” the scientists wrote together with first author Adriana Cabal of the Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene at AGES and their co-authors in “Microbiology Spectrum” of the American Society for Microbiology (DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00740-24).
Increased mortality
Bacteria that produce so-called beta-lactamases protect themselves against antibiotics and are resistant. In infections in seriously ill patients, this leads to increased mortality. The treatment options with medicines are considerably limited.
According to Germany’s Robert Koch Institute, Pseudomonas aeruginosa germs are among the “most common causes of hospital-associated pneumonia due to (artificial; note) ventilation, wound and urinary tract infections worldwide.” They can also cause life-threatening sepsis.
“Family relationships” examined
Due to the increased number of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections in the hospital in Upper Austria, it was decided to investigate the situation intensively. Initially, the focus was on all cases between 2020 and 2023, then the investigations were extended to 2017. 54 patient germ samples and eight isolates from the hospital were examined. In order to clarify the ‘relationships’ between the bacteria, the sequence of their genomes was determined.
The results: All but nine of the germ isolates belonged to three clusters of Pseudomonas aeruginosa pathogens with resistance genes. They also uncovered possible routes by which the germs could spread. “The most likely source of infection for Cluster 1 (…) and Cluster 2 (…) were (water) drains in the intensive care unit (ICU) washroom. The Cluster 3 (bacterial; note) clone may have emerged in the urology department in 2020 and spread to the ICU years later,” the experts noted. Resistant bacteria can establish themselves in the hospital environment for years and cause outbreaks.
Close supervision
The experts have at least got the situation under control. “In March 2023, after the implementation of control measures (handling of clothing, isolation of affected patients, monitoring and daily disinfection), no more metallo-beta-lactamase-producing Pseudomonas germs were detected. The outbreak was considered over,” the scientific article says. Close monitoring for dangerous germs is required, especially in intensive care units.
Source: Krone
I am an experienced and passionate journalist with a strong track record in news website reporting. I specialize in technology coverage, breaking stories on the latest developments and trends from around the world. Working for Today Times Live has given me the opportunity to write thought-provoking pieces that have caught the attention of many readers.
