Infrequent isolation of multiresistant Acinetobacter baumannii from the staff tending a colonized patient with severe burns

A patient with severe burns who was colonized by multiresistant Acinetobacter baumannii was cared for in contact isolation by staff intensively trained on hospital hygiene. Of the 1,907 post-exposure cultures from the staff and 425 environmental samples, only 0.7% and 4%, respectively, yielded this microorganism. These data show that strict hygienic measures may limit staff colonization and contamination of the environment by A baumannii.