Dados do Trabalho


Título

Acinetobacter baumannii in the post-COVID-19 pandemic period: Genetics, phylogeny, and antimicrobial resistance

Introdução

The COVID-19 pandemic led to significant changes in health systems, including a complex interaction between viral infections and opportunistic bacterial pathogens. This resulted in worsened clinical outcomes, prolonged hospitalizations, increased mortality rates, and contributed to the escalation of bacterial resistance to antimicrobials due to the indiscriminate use of these agents. Among the opportunistic pathogens, Acinetobacter baumannii has received significant attention, especially in patients with compromised immune systems, due to its ability to cause nosocomial infections and its expression of various resistance determinants.

Objetivo (s)

The objective of this study was to investigate the genetic profile and to characterize beta-lactam resistance in A. baumannii isolates from a tertiary hospital in Recife-PE, Brazil, in the post-COVID-19 pandemic period.

Material e Métodos

The isolates were collected between 2023 and 2024, by convenience, according to medical request, from various clinical samples. Antimicrobial resistance tests followed CLSI standardized protocols, and the detection of beta-lactamase encoding genes was performed by PCR and sequencing. Genetic diversity was assessed by ERIC-PCR.

Resultados e Conclusão

Among the 78 A. baumannii isolates, resistance to multiple antimicrobials was observed. Several beta- lactamase encoding genes (blaOXA-23, -24, -58, -143, blaVIM, and blaNDM) were detected. Molecular typing revealed high genetic heterogeneity among the isolates, indicating multiclonal dissemination. Conclusion: The accumulation of genetic resistance determinants underscores the need for stringent infection control measures and robust antimicrobial stewardship programs to contain multidrug-resistant strains.

Palavras Chave

drug resistance; Public Health Surveillance; molecular epidemiology; Infection Control

Área

Eixo 16 | Infecções relacionadas à assistência à saúde

Autores

Igor Vasconcelos Rocha, Lamartine Rodrigues Martins, Maria Izabely Silva Pimentel, Renata Pessôa Germano Mendes, Ana Catarina de Souza Lopes