Figure 1

Epidemical curve showing the rate of healthcare-associated multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MDR-Ab) in the ICU in 2009. A marked increase in the number of cases was noted during the epidemic period. The pattern indicates various strains of MDR-Ab as defined by REP-PCR. After the outbreak was halted in late October, the number of cases decreased. Two patients still acquired MDR-Ab in November; however, the isolates from these two patients were unrelated to the outbreak strain. In December and the next January, no healthcare-associated MDR-Ab infections were detected.