Objective: This study was made to evaluate multiresistant Acinetobacter baumannii colonization in French intensive care units.
Design: We conducted a prevalence study on the carriage of A. baumannii for a one-day period in various French ICUs. On December 10, 2003, one nasal and/or rectal swab sampling was performed in 506 patients of 53 ICUs.
Results: Sixteen patients (3.16%) from 7 centers (13%) were colonized by A. baumannii. None of the known risk factors for colonization by multiresistant A. baumannii were identified in these patients.
Conclusions: Overall, A. baumannii colonization is limited except during epidemic situations. Our study reflects the carriage of A. baumannii in ICUs on a given day. This study showed that there was no multiresistant A. baumannii epidemic clone, potentially responsible for outbreaks, present in the tested French ICUs.