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Jonas A. Shulman, Pamela M. Terry, Charles E. Hough, Colonization with Gentamicin-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pyocine Type 5, in a Burn Unit, The Journal of Infectious Diseases, Volume 124, Issue Supplement_1, December 1971, Pages S18–S23, https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/124.Supplement_1.S18
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Abstract
In 1968–1969, there was an outbreak of colonization with gentamicin-resistant, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, pyocine type 5, in the burn service at Grady Hospital. Although the means by which resistance was acquired is not known, selection of this organism was probably related to the substantial use of topical gentamicin for prophylaxis. The organism was found in the hospital environment and on the hands of personnel. Spread from patient to patient may have occurred primarily via the hands of personnel, but also from sources of environmental contamination. No intrahospital spread of the resistant strain from patients with burns to nonburned patients was demonstrated. When the routine use of topical gentamicin was discontinued, a dramatic decrease in gentamicin-resistant Pseudomonas was noted. Although other burn centers using topical gentamicin have not yet reported a major problem of gentamicin-resistant Pseudomonas, careful monitoring of the bacterial colonization of patients treated with topical gentamicin must be performed, and cross-infection rapidly controlled to prevent spread if gentamicinresistant microorganisms appear.
