A Chryseobacterium meningosepticum colonization outbreak in a neonatal intensive care unit.
OBJECTIVE
To report the epidemiologic, bacteriologic, and clinical features of a Chryseobacterium meningosepticum outbreak in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of a referral teaching hospital.


METHODS
From April to October 2002, a strain of C. meningosepticum was isolated from four neonates in the NICU. All neonates were colonized in the endotracheal tubes and respiratory secretions, but none of them progressed to clinical infection. Multiple samples were obtained for cultures.


RESULTS
Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of isolates showed them to be representatives of a single strain. Environmental surveillance did not reveal the C. meningosepticum source. None of the neonates received specific treatment. The outbreak was only controlled by reinforcement of the usual measures and no additional colonization/infection was confirmed for more than a year after the last case.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that C. meningosepticum colonization in neonates does not necessarily lead to infection and that such colonization outbreaks may be controlled with emphasis on the standard precautions.
Maraki
S
S
Department of Clinical Bacteriology, Parasitology, Zoonoses and Geographical Medicine, University Hospital of Heraklion, P.O. Box 1352, 71110 Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
Scoulica
E
E
Manoura
A
A
Papageorgiou
N
N
Giannakopoulou
C
C
Galanakis
E
E
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D012634:Bodily Secretions / Q000382:microbiology; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D045247:Chryseobacterium / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D005260:Female; D045826:Flavobacteriaceae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D005838:Genotype; D006115:Greece; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000382:microbiology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
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