Detection of Serratia outbreaks in hospital.
Infections due to Serratia marcescens were studied in 23 different hospitals. A retrospective study was done in 4 hospitals; all isolates were compared by serological typing, antibiograms, bacteriocin production, and bacteriocin  sensitivity. 2 of the hospitals were having cross-infection problems due to antibiotic-resistant strains, but the other 2 had little or no cross-infection. Outbreaks were studied in 19 other hospitals. 9 of these outbreaks were classified as "common source" since contaminated "sterile solutions" were incriminated as the cause in each. One hospital had a "pseudo-outbreak," in which Serratia from E.D.T.A. blood-collecting tubes contaminated blood-cultures as they were collected. All 10 of these strains from common-source outbreaks were generally sensitive to antibiotics. Outbreaks in 9 other hospitals resulted from cross-infection and were caused by strains which were very resistant to antibiotics. Guidelines for detecting outbreaks are given and control measures are suggested.
D000407:Alabama; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001430:Bacteriocins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000494:pharmacology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004756:Enterobacteriaceae Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D005845:Georgia; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012383:Romania; D012706:Serratia marcescens / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D013781:Texas
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001430:Bacteriocins