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Acetic acid as a decontamination method for sink drains in a nosocomial outbreak of metallo-β-lactamase-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Stjärne Aspelund, A. LU ; Sjöström, K. LU ; Olsson Liljequist, B. ; Mörgelin, M. LU ; Melander, E. LU and Påhlman, L. I. LU (2016) In Journal of Hospital Infection 94(1). p.13-20
Abstract

Background Pseudomonas aeruginosa may colonize water systems via biofilm formation. In hospital environments, contaminated sinks have been associated with nosocomial transmission. Here we describe a prolonged outbreak of a metallo-β-lactamase-producing P. aeruginosa (Pae-MBL) associated with sink drains, and propose a previously unreported decontamination method with acetic acid. Aim To describe a nosocomial outbreak of Pae-MBL associated with hospital sink drains and to evaluate acetic acid as a decontamination method. Methods The outbreak was investigated by searching the microbiology database, microbiological sampling and strain typing. Antibacterial and antibiofilm properties of acetic acid were evaluated in vitro. Pae-MBL-positive... (More)

Background Pseudomonas aeruginosa may colonize water systems via biofilm formation. In hospital environments, contaminated sinks have been associated with nosocomial transmission. Here we describe a prolonged outbreak of a metallo-β-lactamase-producing P. aeruginosa (Pae-MBL) associated with sink drains, and propose a previously unreported decontamination method with acetic acid. Aim To describe a nosocomial outbreak of Pae-MBL associated with hospital sink drains and to evaluate acetic acid as a decontamination method. Methods The outbreak was investigated by searching the microbiology database, microbiological sampling and strain typing. Antibacterial and antibiofilm properties of acetic acid were evaluated in vitro. Pae-MBL-positive sinks were treated with 24% acetic acid once weekly and monitored with repeated cultures. Findings Fourteen patients with positive cultures for Pae-MBL were identified from 2008 to 2014. The patients had been admitted to three wards, where screening discovered Pae-MBL in 12 sink drains located in the patient bathrooms. Typing of clinical and sink drain isolates revealed identical or closely related strains. Pae-MBL biofilm was highly sensitive to acetic acid with a minimum biofilm eradication concentration of 0.75% (range: 0.19–1.5). Weekly treatment of colonized sink drains with acetic acid resulted in negative cultures and terminated transmission. Conclusion Acetic acid is highly effective against Pae-MBL biofilms, and may be used as a simple method to decontaminate sink drains and to prevent nosocomial transmission.

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Acetic acid, Biofilm, Decontamination, Metallo-β-lactamase producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Nosocomial outbreak, Sink drains
in
Journal of Hospital Infection
volume
94
issue
1
pages
8 pages
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:84990837058
  • pmid:27346622
  • wos:000381271000004
ISSN
0195-6701
DOI
10.1016/j.jhin.2016.05.009
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
55409577-67d7-4fdf-8b0c-609c52ccace2
date added to LUP
2016-11-03 16:55:37
date last changed
2024-04-19 11:45:38
@article{55409577-67d7-4fdf-8b0c-609c52ccace2,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background Pseudomonas aeruginosa may colonize water systems via biofilm formation. In hospital environments, contaminated sinks have been associated with nosocomial transmission. Here we describe a prolonged outbreak of a metallo-β-lactamase-producing P. aeruginosa (Pae-MBL) associated with sink drains, and propose a previously unreported decontamination method with acetic acid. Aim To describe a nosocomial outbreak of Pae-MBL associated with hospital sink drains and to evaluate acetic acid as a decontamination method. Methods The outbreak was investigated by searching the microbiology database, microbiological sampling and strain typing. Antibacterial and antibiofilm properties of acetic acid were evaluated in vitro. Pae-MBL-positive sinks were treated with 24% acetic acid once weekly and monitored with repeated cultures. Findings Fourteen patients with positive cultures for Pae-MBL were identified from 2008 to 2014. The patients had been admitted to three wards, where screening discovered Pae-MBL in 12 sink drains located in the patient bathrooms. Typing of clinical and sink drain isolates revealed identical or closely related strains. Pae-MBL biofilm was highly sensitive to acetic acid with a minimum biofilm eradication concentration of 0.75% (range: 0.19–1.5). Weekly treatment of colonized sink drains with acetic acid resulted in negative cultures and terminated transmission. Conclusion Acetic acid is highly effective against Pae-MBL biofilms, and may be used as a simple method to decontaminate sink drains and to prevent nosocomial transmission.</p>}},
  author       = {{Stjärne Aspelund, A. and Sjöström, K. and Olsson Liljequist, B. and Mörgelin, M. and Melander, E. and Påhlman, L. I.}},
  issn         = {{0195-6701}},
  keywords     = {{Acetic acid; Biofilm; Decontamination; Metallo-β-lactamase producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Nosocomial outbreak; Sink drains}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{09}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{13--20}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Journal of Hospital Infection}},
  title        = {{Acetic acid as a decontamination method for sink drains in a nosocomial outbreak of metallo-β-lactamase-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2016.05.009}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.jhin.2016.05.009}},
  volume       = {{94}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}