Characteristics of Acinetobacter strains (phenotype classification, antibiotic susceptibility and production of beta-lactamases) isolated from haemocultures from patients at the Teaching Hospital in Olomouc.

A total of 85 strains of the genus Acinetobacter were isolated from haemocultures at the Institute of Microbiology of the Teaching Hospital in Olomouc over the period January 1993 to June 1997. Sixty-two (73.0%) strains of the Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumannii complex (Acb complex) were the most frequent. In 3 (3.5%) strains it was impossible to decide whether they belonged to the Acb complex. Other acinetobacter species were represented by 20 (23.5%) strains. The greatest amount (28.2%) of these strains was collected from the Clinic of Internal Medicine. Leukemias, lymphomas and myelodysplastic syndromes were the most frequent clinical diagnoses (20.0%) of the patients with a positive haemoculture. The most effective antimicrobial preparations tested were as follows: meropenem (98.8% of susceptible strains), colistin (94.1%), quinolones (90.6-94.1% according to the type of agent) and amikacin (91.8%). The Acb complex strains were less susceptible to antimicrobial agents than other acinetobacters. Production of inductive chromosomal beta-lactamases AmpC was proved in 42 (49.4%) strains whilst no occurrence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) in the isolated organisms was recorded.