title: Epidemic of Pseudomonas cepacia in an adult cystic fibrosis unit: evidence of person-to-person transmission.
abstract: An epidemic of Pseudomonas cepacia occurred in an adult cystic fibrosis center in the United Kingdom, despite a policy of segregation of infected and noninfected patients within the hospital. Investigation of the outbreak by ribotyping and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis to characterize P. cepacia strain genomes together with inquiry into social contacts between patients revealed evidence of person-to-person transmission outside the hospital environment. Segregation policies aimed at reducing the spread of this infection in the cystic fibrosis community need to encompass patient contacts outside the hospital environment.
authors.affiliation: Adult Cystic Fibrosis Unit, East Birmingham Hospital, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Gumery
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Stableforth
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Kaufmann
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Pitt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016956:Burkholderia cepacia / Q000235:genetics; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D006113:United Kingdom