Quick, Joshua, Cumley, Nicola, Wearn, Christopher M., Niebel, Marc, Constantinidou, Chrystala, Thomas, Christopher M., Pallen, Mark J., Moiemen, Naiem S., Bamford, Amy, Oppenheim, Beryl and Loman, Nicholas J. (2014) Seeking the source of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections in a recently opened hospital : an observational study using whole-genome sequencing. BMJ Open, Volume 4 (Number 11). Article number e006278. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2014-006278 ISSN 2044-6055.

Preview

PDF BMJ Open-2014-Quick-.pdf - Published Version - Requires a PDF viewer. Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial. Download (3980Kb) | Preview

Request Changes to record.

Abstract

Objectives:
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common nosocomial pathogen responsible for significant morbidity and mortality internationally. Patients may become colonised or infected with P. aeruginosa after exposure to contaminated sources within the hospital environment. The aim of this study was to determine whether whole-genome sequencing (WGS) can be used to determine the source in a cohort of burns patients at high risk of P. aeruginosa acquisition.

Study design:
An observational prospective cohort study.

Setting:
Burns care ward and critical care ward in the UK.

Participants:
Patients with >7% total burns by surface area were recruited into the study.

Methods:
All patients were screened for P. aeruginosa on admission and samples taken from their immediate environment, including water. Screening patients who subsequently developed a positive P. aeruginosa microbiology result were subject to enhanced environmental surveillance. All isolates of P. aeruginosa were genome sequenced. Sequence analysis looked at similarity and relatedness between isolates.

Results:
WGS for 141 P. aeruginosa isolates were obtained from patients, hospital water and the ward environment. Phylogenetic analysis revealed eight distinct clades, with a single clade representing the majority of environmental isolates in the burns unit. Isolates from three patients had identical genotypes compared with water isolates from the same room. There was clear clustering of water isolates by room and outlet, allowing the source of acquisitions to be unambiguously identified. Whole-genome shotgun sequencing of biofilm DNA extracted from a thermostatic mixer valve revealed this was the source of a P. aeruginosa subpopulation previously detected in water. In the remaining two cases there was no clear link to the hospital environment.

Conclusions:
This study reveals that WGS can be used for source tracking of P. aeruginosa in a hospital setting, and that acquisitions can be traced to a specific source within a hospital ward.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	Q Science > QR Microbiology
Divisions:	Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Medicine > Warwick Medical School > Biomedical Sciences > Microbiology & Infection Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Medicine > Warwick Medical School
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Journal or Publication Title:	BMJ Open
Publisher:	BMJ
ISSN:	2044-6055
Official Date:	4 November 2014
Dates:	Date Event 4 November 2014 Published 26 September 2014 Accepted 1 August 2014 Submitted
Volume:	Volume 4
Number:	Number 11
Number of Pages:	11
Article Number:	Article number e006278
DOI:	10.1136/bmjopen-2014-006278
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Open Access (Creative Commons)
Date of first compliant deposit:	28 December 2015
Date of first compliant Open Access:	28 December 2015
Funder:	National Institute for Health Research (Great Britain) (NIHR)

Request changes or add full text files to a record

Repository staff actions (login required)

View Item

Downloads