The role of Acinetobacter baumannii as a nosocomial pathogen for dogs and cats in an intensive care unit

Acinetobacter baumannii is a nosocomial pathogen associated with high morbi dity and mortality in humans. Whereas infections with strains of Acinetobac ter species have been reported in various situations, the importance of A b aumannii as a nosocomial pathogen in veterinary hospitals has not been stud ied so far. In this retrospective case series, we describe 17 dogs and 2 ca rs from which A baumannii had been isolated during a 2 1/2-year period. In 7 dogs, A baumannii induced systemic signs of illness, whereas 12 animals s howed signs of local infection. In all animals with systemic infection, and in 2 with localized infection, A baumannii contributed to the death of the animal or contributed to euthanasia; the remaining 8 dogs and both cats re covered. Molecular typing of the isolates with restriction polymorphisms of ribosomal DNA provided evidence of nosocomial spread of this pathogen and for the presence of several strains of A baumannii in the hospital environm ent.