Listeria monocytogenes cross-contamination in a nursery [corrected].
Molecular evidence of Listeria monocytogenes cross-contamination in a nursery is presented. Listeria monocytogenes serotype 4b was isolated from the blood and the conjunctiva of a baby with neonatal sepsis who was born after septic amnionitis and premature rupture of membrane. Nine days later, the same bacterium was isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid of a second baby presenting with meningitis. Cervical cultures from the second baby's healthy mother were negative for Listeria sp. An in-depth epidemiologic investigation revealed that the same nurse administered routine treatments to both babies in the nursery during a 1-hour interval of time [corrected]. Pulse-field gel electrophoresis analysis of both strains with 2 different restriction enzymes demonstrated that they were identical and differ from other wild strains of L monocytogenes serotype 4b isolated in Israel. This fact strongly suggests that the second baby was infected during admittance to the nursery as a result of a hospital cross-contamination.
Colodner
R
R
Ha'Emek Medical Center, Afula, Israel.
Sakran
W
W
Miron
D
D
Teitler
N
N
Khavalevsky
E
E
Kopelowitz
J
J
D003428:Cross Infection / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D007557:Israel; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008088:Listeriosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D009725:Nurseries, Hospital