Open AccessThe Role of Acinetobacter baumannii as a Nosocomial Pathogen for Dogs and Cats in an Intensive Care Unit
Author(s) -
Francey Thierry,
Gaschen Frédéric,
Nicolet Jacques,
Burnens Andre P.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of veterinary internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.356
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1939-1676
pISSN - 0891-6640
DOI - 10.1111/j.1939-1676.2000.tb02233.x
Subject(s) - acinetobacter baumannii , medicine , pathogen , cats , intensive care unit , microbiology and biotechnology , typing , acinetobacter , intensive care medicine , antibiotics , immunology , biology , pseudomonas aeruginosa , bacteria , genetics
Acinetobacter baumannii is a nosocomial pathogen associated with high morbidity and mortality in humans. Whereas infections with strains of Acinetobacter species have been reported in various situations, the importance of A baumannii as a nosocomial pathogen in veterinary hospitals has not been studied so far. In this retrospective case series, we describe 17 dogs and 2 cats from which A baumannii had been isolated during a 21/2‐year period. In 7 dogs, A baumannii induced systemic signs of illness, whereas 12 animals showed signs of local infection. In all animals with systemic infection, and in 2 with localized infection, A baumannii contributed to the death of the animal or contributed to euthanasia; the remaining 8 dogs and both cats recovered. Molecular typing of the isolates with restriction polymorphisms of ribosomal DNA provided evidence of nosocomial spread of this pathogen and for the presence of several strains of A baumannii in the hospital environment.