Case-control and vector studies of nosocomial acquisition of Pseudomonas cepacia in adult patients with cystic fibrosis.

To examine factors associated with nosocomial acquisition of Pseudomonas cepacia in adult patients with cystic fibrosis. A retrospective case-control study of 5 patients with nosocomial acquisition of P cepacia versus 20 matched controls who failed to develop P cepacia infection. Selective handwashing, air sampling, and respiratory equipment sampling also were performed. A university hospital providing tertiary care to 95 adult cystic fibrosis patients. All patients are adults with known cystic fibrosis. Case definition required multiple negative sputum cultures for P cepacia prior to and during admission, with a positive sputum culture prior to discharge. Controls had negative sputum cultures for P cepacia prior to and throughout hospitalization. Controls were matched for age, gender, disease severity, and frequency of hospitalizations. Factors associated with increased risk of nosocomial acquisition of P cepacia included receiving humidifier or nebulized treatments (60% versus 5%, p = .016, odds ratio = 28.5, 95% confidence interval = 1.93 to 420.58). Factors without significance included ward, room, teaching versus nonteaching status, use of steroids, sharing a hospital room with another cystic fibrosis patient, antibiotic use, presence of portocath in situ, or socializing with another individual with cystic fibrosis known to be P cepacia-positive. Air sampling studies failed to demonstrate aerosolization of P cepacia by coughing cystic fibrosis patients over a 1-hour sampling time. Handwashing studies failed to demonstrate P cepacia on hands of cystic fibrosis patients, nurses, or physiotherapists (before or after physiotherapy). Reservoirs from nebulizers consistently grew P cepacia following therapy. Respiratory equipment may be an important source of nosocomial acquisition of P cepacia in adult cystic fibrosis patients.