Thoracic organ transplantation may not increase the risk of bacterial transmission in intensive care units

Out of 585 patients microbiological specimens were cultured from 336 patients. From 187 of these, enterococci were isolated. From 81 patients 186 enterococci isolates were typed. Out of 105 different enterococci strains, 16 cluster strains were detected and 30 episodes of transmissions occurred. The transmission rate was 7.8 per 1000 patient days. No significant association was found between “being cluster member “and “patient organ transplanted” (OR 1.5, CI95% 0.58; 3.98, p=0.38) or “patient treated in a single-room only” (OR 1.06, CI95% 0.36;3, 12, p=0.91), respectively. In contrast, “being cluster member” was associated with a prolonged length of stay (OR per additional days of stay 1.05, CI95% 1.01-1.09, p<0.01). Thoracic organ transplantation was not found to be a risk factor for bacterial transmission, but transmission was associated with a prolonged length of stay.