Three PMC patients share rare infection

By Loretta Tackett Staff Writer

Pikeville Medical Center has reported a higher than normal incidence of a multi-drug resistant infection, noting three patients have the same strain.

While the Acinetobacter infection is a relatively common bacterium, people with weak immune defense systems are most susceptible to the infection, PMC officials reported.

Acinetobacter is a group of bacteria commonly found in soil and water, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It can also be found on the skin of healthy people, especially healthcare personnel. While there are many types or “species” of Acinetobacter and all can cause human disease, Acinetobacter baumannii accounts for about 80 percent of reported infections, the CDC reported.

Most people carry this bacteria on their skin, said Pike County Health Department (PCHD) Director Paul Hopkins. “But, what happens, like with a lot of things people carry around, is people with weaker immune systems contract the bacteria.”

Multi-drug resistant strains, due to their resistance to antibiotics, are more difficult to treat, the hospital reported, asserting most effective defense against the spread of any bacteria is good hand washing. The strains become resistant through overuse of antibiotics or people not taking the entire amount prescribed and the strain becomes immune, Hopkins said.

Another well-known multi-drug resistant infection is the MRSA strain which caused so much fear in Pike schools last year.

Three current patients at Pikeville Medical Center have been identified with the same strain of Acinetobacter infection, the hospital reported, which is rare.

“This is why we did what we did,” Public Relations Assistant Vice President Keith Bridges said about contacting the Commonwealth of Kentucky infectious disease officials and PCHD, adding he was proud the infectious disease people at PMC were able to spot the presence of the infection after only three cases.

State infectious disease officials complimented the hospital on the identification of the bacteria and the thorough steps taken to prevent its spread, the hospital reported.

Because this bacteria has such a long life span and can be easily spread, the hospital is taking special precautions with these patients, implementing a stringent infection control regimen that includes — gowned, masked and gloved doctors, nurses and visitors, and intense cleaning of all areas and equipment that have been used by these patients.

“They are probably trying to find a source for the common bacteria,” Hopkins said, adding the health department will look at assisting them in seeing if these people knew one another, frequented the same place, and other measurers to find a source.

It is not unusual to find an Acinetobacteria in a hospital environment, PMC reported. In fact, cases of infected patients have been reported at Johns Hopkins Medical Center, the University of Kentucky, the University of Louisville and many of the leading teaching hospitals throughout the country.

PMC infection control specialists will continue working with state officials, pointing out that other hospitals reporting cases often point to an infected patient who is admitted to the hospital, usually from a nursing home, for an unrelated medical ailment.

“Nursing homes may not be up to the degree of control that a hospital is,” Bridges said, adding people who have to have long-term care often have diminished immune systems.

PMC is currently treating the three individuals with the Acinetobacter infection, attempting to find an antibiotic which will take care of the problem.

“We’ve got to find out what works with different people,” Bridges said.

Acinetobacter infections rarely occur outside of healthcare settings, the CDC reports, and those affected have symptoms ranging from pneumonia to serious blood and wound infections. Acinetobacter may also colonize, or live, in a patient without causing infection or symptoms, especially in tracheostomy sits or open wounds.