title: Acquisition of multidrug-resistant Serratia marcescens by critically ill patients who consumed tap water during receipt of oral medication.
abstract: We describe an outbreak of multidrug-resistant Serratia marcescens infection and colonization involving adults admitted to a surgical intensive care unit. Examination of the outbreak revealed epidemiological evidence that consumption of tap water from a contaminated faucet during receipt of oral medication was the mechanism of S. marcescens acquisition.
authors.affiliation: Service of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Clínic Universitari-IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain. jhorcaja@yahoo.es
authors.forename: Juan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Horcajada
authors.forename: Jose Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.forename: Amalia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alcón
authors.forename: Francesc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marco
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Lazzari
authors.forename: Anastacio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Matos
authors.forename: Magda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zaragoza
authors.forename: Montse
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sallés
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zavala
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mensa
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D016638:Critical Illness; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D006801:Humans; D016868:Serratia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D012706:Serratia marcescens / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014881:Water Supply