Growth and endotoxin production of Yersinia enterocolitica and Enterobacter agglomerans in packed erythrocytes.
Since 1987, the Centers for Disease Control investigated six cases of transfusion-associated sepsis. All six patients developed septic shock after receiving units of packed erythrocytes (PRBCs) contaminated with Yersinia enterocolitica (five patients) and Enterobacter agglomerans (one patient); three of the blood recipients died. We studied the growth and endotoxin production of Y. enterocolitica and E. agglomerans in units of PRBCs stored at 4 degrees C for 60 days. When PRBCs were inoculated with 0.1 to 1.0 CFU of these organisms per ml, both Y. enterocolitica and E. agglomerans entered log-phase growth 2 to 3 weeks after inoculation; generation times were 15 and 22 h, respectively. Endotoxin was first detected at 3 weeks following inoculation, and the concentration paralleled the log phase of growth of the strains tested. These data show that prolonged storage of PRBCs at 4 degrees C provides conditions that allow these two organisms to grow and subsequently produce high concentrations of endotoxin.
Nosocomial Infections Laboratory Branch, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia 30333.
M J
MJ
Arduino
L A
LA
Bland
M A
MA
Tipple
S M
SM
Aguero
M S
MS
Favero
W R
WR
Jarvis
D001803:Blood Transfusion; D003080:Cold Temperature; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004754:Enterobacter / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000254:growth & development*; D004756:Enterobacteriaceae Infections / Q000209:etiology; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000209:etiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D015009:Yersinia Infections / Q000209:etiology; D015008:Yersinia enterocolitica / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism
D004731:Endotoxins