title: Skin disease presenting as an outbreak of pseudobacteremia in a laboratory worker.
abstract: An outbreak of pseudobacteremia due to Streptococcus pyogenes (group A streptococci [GAS]) and methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) was traced to the venting procedure for aerobic bottles prior to their loading into the incubator of the BacT/Alert analyzer (Organon Teknika). Bacteria shed by a laboratory worker suffering from impetigo and cellulitis contaminated the aerobic bottles of 10 patients. All blood culture isolates, in addition to the isolates from the laboratory worker, were of the same GAS M and T types. All MSSA isolates from blood cultures and the index case's hands had the same lytic phage profile. Procedural breakdowns were identified in the laboratory. Bottles were vented outside the biological safety cabinet, gloves were not worn, and unprotected needles were used for the venting procedure. The source of the aspirated bacteria that contaminated the bottles was identified and the index case was treated promptly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hadassah University Hospital, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem. simhon@hadassah.org.il
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Simhon
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rahav
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shapiro
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Block
mesh_terms: D016470:Bacteremia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D001769:Blood / Q000382:microbiology; D003470:Culture Media; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D007755:Laboratories, Hospital; D008297:Male; D017056:Medical Laboratory Personnel; D008712:Methicillin / Q000494:pharmacology; D010406:Penicillins / Q000494:pharmacology; D017192:Skin Diseases, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D013207:Staphylococcal Skin Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D010406:Penicillins; D008712:Methicillin