Whole-Genome Sequencing to Differentiate Relapse From Reinfection in Community-Onset Bacteremic Acinetobacter baumannii Pneumonia

Community-onset bacteremic Acinetobacter baumannii pneumonia recurred in 3 of 30 (10%) patients followed prospectively, all with ongoing hazardous alcohol intake, 3–56 months after initial pneumonia. Paired isolates underwent whole-genome sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis showed that recurrence strains were all distinct from preceding strains, indicating reinfection in susceptible individuals rather than relapse