Identifying and controlling a multiresistant pseudomonas aeruginosa outbreak in a latin-american cancer centre and its associated risk factors

• Main Authors: Jorge Alberto Cortes, Sonia Isabel Cuervo, Ana María Urdaneta, Guillermo Potdevin, Patricia Arroyo, Diana Bermúdez, Adriana Correa, María Virginia Villegas
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier
• Series: Brazilian Journal of Infectious Diseases
• Subjects: Pseudomonas aeruginosa; epidemiology; multiple drug resistance; bacteria; risk factor
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1413-86702009000200005&lng=en&tlng=en

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important and frightening microorganism for patients suffering from cancer. Multiresistant P. aeruginosa (MRPA) may appear as a consequence of exposure to multiple antibiotics or from a breakdown in infection control practices. This article reports an MRPA outbreak in a cancer treatment centre and the consequent case control study. Mechanical ventilation was identified as being the main risk factor for developing MRPA colonisation or infection; molecular analysis confirmed the outbreak. A multifaceted strategy was adopted, involving reinforcing hand-washing practices, contact isolation, antibiotic restriction and suction devices for mechanically-ventilated patients. MRPA was controlled and the outbreak ended. Such strategy may be effective in controlling MRPS in low-resource environments amongst high risk cancer patients.