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Outbreaks of Acinetobacter baumannii infection in intensive care units are not uncommon. An investigation of an outbreak of this gram-negative organism between January and November of 2009 in a 15-bed burn unit in an academic medical center identified portable table fans as the reservoir.
Nine serious infections caused by multidrug-resistant A. baumannii occurred in this outbreak. After it was recognized, all hydrotherapy supplies were discarded, and enhanced disinfection was undertaken daily. Environmental samples were collected from water sources, air conditioning grilles, and unit equipment, all of which were negative for A. baumannii except for samples from two portable fans that grew isolates sharing the same antibiotic-resistance profi…