Enterobacter taylorae, a new opportunistic pathogen: report of four cases.
Severe nosocomial infections due to Enterobacter taylorae (formerly known as CDC Enteric Group 19) are described in four patients. Unlike most members of the Enterobacter genus, the isolates were not susceptible to penicillins or cephalosporins. Restriction endonuclease analysis of E. taylorae DNA obtained from three patients identified two distinct strains. One strain was found in two patients, suggesting a common source which we were not able to identify. We postulate that in patients harboring E. taylorae, the combination of cephalosporin therapy and instrumentation enables this organism to become an opportunistic pathogen.
Rubinstien
E M
EM
Department of Medicine, Saint Francis Hospital & Medical Center, Hartford, Connecticut 06105.
Klevjer-Anderson
P
P
Smith
C A
CA
Drouin
M T
MT
Patterson
J E
JE
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D003237:Connecticut / Q000453:epidemiology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004754:Enterobacter / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D004756:Enterobacteriaceae Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes