Genetic relatedness of Staphylococcus epidermidis from infected infants and staff in the neonatal intensive care unit.
BACKGROUND
The genetic relatedness of Staphylococcus epidermidis associated with infections in infants and cultured from the hands of nurses was assessed.


METHODS
From March 2001 to January 2002, infections caused by S. epidermidis were prospectively monitored. Participating nurses had hand cultures performed quarterly following hand hygiene. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis was performed to determine genetic relatedness of strains from infants and nurses.


RESULTS
During the study period, S. epidermidis caused 42 of 143 (29%) and 26 of 100 (26%) infant infections and was cultured from the clean hands of 51 of 61 (84%) and 53 of 58 (91%) nurses in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)-1 and NICU-2, respectively. Fifty-eight clones of S. epidermidis were identified among 173 isolates typed: 38 of 173 isolates (22%) were unique clones detected in a single infant (n=10) or nurse (n=28); 42 of 173 (24%) isolates were defined as belonging to small cluster clones (n=15), ie, were detected in 2 to 4 nurses and/or infants; and 93 of 173 (54%) isolates belonged to large cluster clones (n=4), ie, detected in 7 to 64 nurses and/or infants.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggested that most S. epidermidis isolates were shared between infants and nurses. Hand hygiene alone is inadequate to prevent S. epidermidis infections, and additional strategies are needed to prevent cross transmission in NICU populations.
Milisavljevic
Vladana
V
Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
Wu
Fann
F
Cimmotti
Jeannie
J
Haas
Janet
J
Della-Latta
Phyllis
P
Larson
Elaine
E
Saiman
Lisa
L
D002353:Carrier State / Q000382:microbiology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*