Pseudomonas in the sinks in an intensive care unit: relation to patients. Issue 4 (April 1984)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Levin, M H; Olson, B; Nathan, C; Kabins, S A; Weinstein, R A
• Is Part Of: Journal of clinical pathology. Volume 37:Issue 4(1984)
• Page Start: 424
• Page End: 427
• Publication Date: 1984-04
• Subjects: Pathology -- Periodicals; Pathology, Molecular -- Periodicals; 616.0705
• DOI: 10.1136/jcp.37.4.424
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-9746

Abstract

Abstract : Sink drains in a medical-surgical intensive care unit (ICU) were cultured during six consecutive weeks as part of a seven month prospective study of acquisition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by ICU patients. Isolates were typed serologically and by aminoglycoside and chlorhexidine susceptibility patterns. All 11 sinks contained multiple strains of P aeruginosa; some strains persisted for weeks while others were isolated once. Of the sink isolates 56% had high level resistance to gentamicin and tobramycin whereas none of the strains found in patients. In sink isolates chlorhexidine resistance correlated with aminoglycoside resistance and with the presence of a chlorhexidine dispenser at a sink. The sequence of recovery of phenotypically similar isolates suggested that sinks were the source of at most two acquisitions of P aeruginosa by patients during the six weeks. Our study confirms that sinks may be reservoirs for large numbers of highly resistant P aeruginosa but are rarely the source of organisms colonising patients in our ICU.