Nosocomial Achromobacter xylosoxidans Infections

In 1971, Yabuuchi and Ohyama named and described Achromobacter xylosoxidans as a distinctive gram-negative, nonfermentative bacillus. During the past 15 years, A xylosoxidans has been infrequently reported in the literature as a nosocomial pathogen. The organism has usually been associated with aquatic surroundings and frequently colonizes aqueous fluids in the hospital environment, awaiting the opportunity to infect compromised patients. Several outbreaks have been reported to be caused by Achromobacter , and all have contaminated fluids as the epidemiologic “common denominator.” Achromobacter is an emerging pathogen that has been recognized and appreciated with increasing frequency during the past few years. It is a microorganism ideally suited to the hospital environment in that it is resistant to many disinfectants and most antibiotics. Achromobacter mimics Pseudomonas aeruginosa microbiologically and clinically, but may be differentiated from the latter on the basis of flagella arrangement and antibiotic suscep-tibilities.