Epidemiologic characteristics of <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> isolates in ventilator-associated pneumonia in intensive care units

Abstract

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a common pathogen that causes ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) in intensive care units (ICUs). Strain typing is a useful tool in tracking the spread of these infections. Primary objective was to study different strains causing VAP in Anesthesia ICUs. Secondary objective was to determine role of health-care workers (HCWs) and ICU environment in the transmission of these strains. Endotracheal aspirates of 60 VAP patients, surveillance samples from the HCWs (18 )and the ICU environment (193)were collected. Antibiogram typing and enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus-polymerase chain reaction (ERIC-PCR) were used for comparison of the isolates from VAP patients and surveillance samples. Antibiogram showed 5 antibiotic susceptibility patterns that were designated A1-A5. ERIC-PCR yielded 1 to 5 amplification bands. All the isolates were typable by ERIC-PCR. Eight ERIC patterns were obtained ERIC(I)-ERIC(VIII). ERIC-PCR typing method gave higher discriminatory index (D) (0.7557) than antibiogram (0.6035). There was sharing of certain ERIC patterns among patient and HCWs or environmental sources. In Conclusion: K.pneumoniae is the most dominant pathogen in anesthesia ICUs. Throats and hands of HCWs are possible sources of pathogen transmission to patients. Surfaces with hand contact of the medical staff are often contaminated and may serve as vectors for cross transmission.

Keywords: Ventilator-associated pneumonia, ICU environment, health-care workers, Klebsiella pneumoniae, antibiogram typing, ERIC-PCR