P-301. What Resistant Bacteria Are Lurking Outside Our Hospitals?

Abstract Background Contamination of hospital environmental surfaces with resistant Enterobacterales and non-fermenting bacilli can facilitate nosocomial transmission. Little is known regarding the extent of contamination of environmental surfaces immediately outside the hospital setting. Methods Cultures of environmental surfaces surrounding hospitals in New York City were incubated at 37oC in MacConkey broth containing 4 mg/L ceftazidime and amphotericin B. Two sets of cultures were obtained: Group 1 cultures involved 42 high-touch surfaces within a two-block radius of each hospital that were cultured with rayon-tipped swabs. Group 2 cultures involved 5 surfaces of transportation centers near (n=8) and distant (n=8) from hospitals that were wiped with saline-saturated sterile gauze. Bacteria were identified using 16S ribosomal sequencing; β-lactamases were identified by PCR sequencing. Results In Group 1, the 336 swab cultures from surfaces around 8 hospitals yielded 66 cephalosporin-resistant bacteria, including 26 Brucella (Ochrobactrum) spp. and 12 Acinetobacter spp. One isolate of Brucella (Ochrobactrum) spp. was found to possess the carbapenemase OXA-24. Surfaces around 2 of the 8 hospitals accounted for 73% of the Brucella (Ochrobactrum) spp. In Group 2, the 40 gauze cultures of transportation center surfaces near 8 hospitals yielded 38 bacteria. Of the 38 bacteria, 15 were Brucella (Ochrobactrum) spp. and 8 were Acinetobacter spp. In comparison, the 40 gauze cultures of 8 transportation center surfaces distant from hospitals yielded 33 isolates, including only 5 Brucella (Ochrobactrum) spp. (P=.03 compared to cultures near hospitals) and 6 Acinetobacter spp. No members of Enterobacterales were recovered in any of the Group 1 or Group 2 cultures. Conclusion Cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacterales were not recovered in any environmental cultures around hospitals. Both Brucella (Ochrobactrum) spp. and Acinetobacter spp. were frequently recovered; Brucella (Ochrobactrum) spp. appeared to be territorial and a reservoir for OXA-type carbapenemases. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures