ABSTRACT
Spread of multidrug-resistant pathogenic bacteria became one of the greatest threats in healthcare worldwide. It is generally accepted that both inter- and intrahospital transmissions of these bacteria contribute significantly to this problem. The purpose of the current study was the evaluation of the inter- and intrahospital spread of multidrug resistant Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria in Lithuania. Clinical isolates of Acinetobacter sp., Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were subjected for the screening for extended spectrum ß-lactamase, carbapenemase, as well as plasmid-mediated AmpC ß-lactamase genes. BOX-PCR genotyping was used for the genotyping of these isolates. Our results show that all four pathogens are involved in the intra- and/or interhospital dissemination between the Lithuanian healthcare institutions. The level of transmissions differed between pathogens, and the worst situation was detected for Acinetobacter sp. followed by E. coli. In almost all cases, transmissible strains had at least one gene conferring ß-lactam resistance, thereby contributing to the dissemination of the resistance determinants in and between Lithuanian hospitals. Our study clearly demonstrated that immediate actions, more effective strategy, and surveillance are needed to confine and prevent further spread of multidrug resistant Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria in Lithuanian healthcare institutions.