Characterization of Acinetobacter baumannii and meropenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Canada: results of the CANWARD 2007–2009 study

A total of 66 (0.35% of overall isolates) Acinetobacter baumannii and 102 (0.55%) meropenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa were identified among 18 538 isolates collected from medical centers across Canada during the 2007–2009 period. A. baumannii was most frequently recovered from patients in intensive care units (ICUs; 42.4%) and was isolated mostly from blood cultures (53.0%) and respiratory tract specimens (33.3%). Colistin, meropenem, and amikacin were the most active agents against A. baumannii strains (≥92.4% coverage). Gentamicin, levofloxacin, and tigecycline were also active against this bacterial species (MIC50 1, 0.12, and 0.5 μg/mL, respectively). Multidrug resistance (MDR; resistance to ≥3 antimicrobial classes) was noted in only 4 strains (6.1%), and molecular typing revealed 6 clusters of 2 isolates per cluster that displayed >85% similarity on the dendrogram. Meropenem-resistant P. aeruginosa isolates were primarily obtained from patients in ICUs (40.2%) and the most prevalent specimen types were those collected from the respiratory tract (63.7%), followed by blood cultures (18.6%). Most of the meropenem-resistant P. aeruginosa were resistant to all antimicrobial agents tested, and low susceptibility rates were observed for levofloxacin (8.8%) and gentamicin (28.4%). Amikacin and colistin were active against 67.7% and 88.2% of the isolates, respectively. A total of 68.6% (n = 70) of meropenem-resistant P. aeruginosa were MDR. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis revealed 94 unique isolates and 2 small clusters (6 and 4 isolates, 1 hospital each). In summary, MDR A. baumannii are rare in Canada and, conversely, meropenem-resistant P. aeruginosa were mostly MDR; however, there was minimal clonal spread among these nonfermentative bacilli.