Multidrug-resistant bacteria transmitted through high-density EEG in ICU

PURPOSE Prevention of multidrug resistant (MDR) bacterial contamination remains a major challenge in ICUs. Many hospital outbreaks involving MDR transmitted through environmental contamination have been reported. Bedside high-density EEG allow for dynamic cognitive evaluation in brain-injured patients and is used more and more frequently in clinical practice to evaluate brain function and predict outcome in severely neurologically impaired patients. Unfortunately, the material used for this procedure is not entirely disposable. METHOD We performed a systematic analysis of MDR bacterial contamination in patients contaminated in our ICU using specific bacteriological methods. RESULTS We report a proven case of cross-contamination of an extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae strain, and a possible case of cross-contamination of a carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii strain. CONCLUSION Cross-contamination of MDR bacteria is possible through high-density EEG material. However, appropriate procedures can decrease this risk.