Outbreak of carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa producing SPM-1 metallo-β-lactamase in a teaching hospital in southern Brazil

OBJECTIVES: To describe the first nosocomial outbreak of Pseudomonas aeruginosa producing SPM-1 metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL) in southern Brazil. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From January to October 2004, carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa (CRPA) were recovered from hospitalized patients. Mortality, site of infection/colonization, patient location and susceptibility profiles were analysed. A sample of CRPA was screened for MBL production, evaluated for the presence of bla(SPM-1), bla(IMP-1) and bla(VIM-2) genes by PCR and submitted for molecular typing by DNA macrorestriction. RESULTS: A total of 135 CRPA (one isolate per patient) were recovered. Two major antibiotic susceptibility profiles comprised 63.7% of the isolates (susceptibility to polymyxin B and aztreonam, and susceptibility only to polymyxin B). Thirty-five CRPA were screened for MBL production (10 isolates from April, June and July, and 25 from September and October) and 27 (77.1%) proved to be positive for MBL production. Twenty-one of the 24 CRPA tested carried the bla(SPM-1) gene. The mortality of patients with CRPA was 48.1% and no variable was associated with death. Molecular typing revealed the presence of a clone with four related subtypes among the bla(SPM-1)-positive CRPA. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of MBL production by CRPA is high and horizontal transmission is a major determinant for the spread of SPM-1 CRPA among patients in this institution. As infection control measures failed to control the spread of CRPA, continuous surveillance for MBL production is warranted.