BACKGROUND: Achromobacter spp. are Gram-negative bacilli from aqueous environments, occasionally involved in @entity582 in immunocompromised hosts and in outbreaks. AIM: We describe the characteristics of an @entity582 outbreak in a paediatric onco-haematology department. METHODS: Throughout a one-year period, 16 blood cultures from seven @entity1 were positive for Achromobacter sp. All @entity1 were immunocompromised, febrile, and central venous catheter (CVC) holders. A microbiological study was performed in @entity1 ' rooms, completed with an analysis of the disinfectant atomizers (didecyl diammonium chloride 0.25%, Surfanios(  ), DMA). In total, 41 clinical and environmental strains were analysed by enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC) polymerase chain reaction (PCR), repetitive PCR, and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The bactericidal activity of DMA was studied on two Achromobacter sp. representative strains and one @entity796 reference strain, comparing biofilm and @entity851 models. FINDINGS: The seven @entity1 , including two severe cases, were successfully treated by systemic antimicrobial therapy and/or catheter removal. The 25 environmental isolates were recovered with the following chronology: hospital filtered tap water, disinfectant atomizers, and @entity1 ' rooms. All environmental, @entity1 , and atomizer strains had identical PCR and PFGE patterns. The disinfectant susceptibility assay revealed that the strain isolated from the atomizers had high survival abilities in biofilm conditions and remained resistant to DMA after short contact periods. CONCLUSION: The use of disinfectant atomizers associated with the survival of Achromobacter in the atomizer pipes may explain the contamination and colonization of the CVC. Control measures (non-atomizer containers and use of sterile water) allowed the eradication of the source and the outbreak control.

Achromobacter XXXX outbreak in a paediatric onco-haematology department related to strain with high surviving ability in contaminated disinfectant atomizers.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients', 'patient'] @entity582 :: ('MESH:C531821', 'Disease') :: ['bacteraemia', 'achromobacter bacteraemia'] @entity851 :: ('MESH:D006130', 'Disease') :: ['planktonic growth'] @entity796 :: ('287', 'Species') :: ['Pseudomonas aeruginosa']
@entity582 :: (MESH:C531821,Disease) :: ['bacteraemia']
