title: A pseudoepidemic of Alcaligenes xylosoxidans attributable to contaminated saline.
abstract: Alcaligenes xylosoxidans is an uncommon but serious cause of nosocomial epidemics. This report describes a cluster of two patients who underwent revision of hip arthroplasties and one patient who had a lumbar puncture. Cultures obtained during all three procedures showed A. xylosoxidans with similar antibiotic sensitivity patterns. An investigation found that saline used to process these specimens was contaminated with this organism.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Beverly Hospital, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: E V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Granowitz
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Keenholtz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000421:Alcaligenes / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip / Q000009:adverse effects; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology*; D004340:Drug Contamination; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D013129:Spinal Puncture / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D012965:Sodium Chloride