Three prolonged outbreaks of metallo-β-lactamase-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa in an Upper Austrian hospital, 2017-2023.
Adriana Cabal RoselAnna HörtenhuberYarub SalaheddinAnna StögerBurkhard SpringerStefan BletzAlexander MellmannPatrick HydenRainer HartlJohannes WeinbergerRick ConzemiusMarkus HellBeatriz DazaKathrin LippertGeorg SteindlSandra Köberl-JelovcanWerner RuppitschPublished in: Microbiology spectrum (2024)
isolates, the study identified three distinct genomic clusters responsible for prolonged outbreaks involving 47 cases. The investigation pinpointed sinks in the ICU washroom as the likely source of infection for two of the clusters. The study demonstrates the effectiveness of control measures such as hand hygiene, gowning, patient isolation, screening, and disinfection in stopping further transmission and bringing the outbreaks to a close. This underscores the critical role of genomic surveillance and control measures, particularly in high-risk settings like ICUs, in reducing nosocomial transmission of MBL-Pa infections.