title: An outbreak of Serratia marcescens in two neonatal intensive care units.
abstract: Outbreaks of infection in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) due to Serratia marcescens are well recognized. In some outbreaks no point source has been found, whereas in others cross-infection has been associated with contaminated ventilator equipment, disinfectants, hands and breast pumps. We report an outbreak due to S. marcescens that involved two geographically distinct NICUs. The outbreak occurred over a six week period; 17 babies were colonized, 12 at Glasgow Royal Maternity Hospital (GRMH) and five at the Queen Mothers Hospital (QMH). At GRMH three babies developed septicaemia, of whom two died. The outbreak isolates were of the same serotype and phage type and were indistinguishable on the basis of restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. During the outbreak, two babies shown consistently to be negative on screening, were transferred between the two units. In addition, two members of medical staff attended both units. In QMH no means of cross infection was identified. However, in GRMH the outbreak strain of S. marcescens was isolated from a laryngoscope blade and a sample of expressed breast milk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow G4 0SF, Scotland. b.l.jones@clinmed.gla.ac.uk
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Gorman
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Simpson
authors.forename: E T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Curran
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McNamee
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lucas
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Michie
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Platt
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Thakker
mesh_terms: D001942:Breast Feeding; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004866:Equipment Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006771:Hospitals, Maternity; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods*; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal; D020704:Laryngoscopes / Q000382:microbiology; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012703:Serotyping; D016868:Serratia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012706:Serratia marcescens / Q000235:genetics; D013396:Suction / Q000295:instrumentation; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial