An outbreak of
Acinetobacter spp
infection in the neonatal unit at Lok Nayak
Hospital, New Delhi,
India, is described. During a 6-month period, 68
strains of
Acinetobacter baumannii were isolated from the
blood and CSF of 47
neonates admitted to the
intensive care unit.
Diagnosis of clinically significant
bacteremia was made in 36
patients. On environmental/
personnel sampling,
Acinetobacter spp isolates with
similar antibiogram were recovered from intravenous
catheter and washbasin. Control of the outbreak was possible only after strict
infection control practices in the unit. It was concluded that any clinical multidrug resistant A. baumannii isolate can be a potential nosocomial outbreak
strain.