Outbreak of Streptococcus pyogenes infection in healthcare workers in a paediatric intensive care unit: transmission from a single patient.
A 15-h stay in a paediatric intensive care unit by a girl with generalized dermal lesions superinfected with Streptococcus pyogenes led to four streptococcal infections in healthcare workers. Phenotypic and molecular analyses of the strains revealed that four isolates, characterized as emm87/ST62/T28, were identical to the isolate obtained from the index case. The occurrence of this outbreak, despite of the girl's brief hospital stay and appropriate patient management, highlights the high transmissibility of this pathogen.
Microbiology Department, Hospital Universitario Donostia-Instituto Biodonostia, San Sebastián, Spain.
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Montes
Microbiology Department, Hospital Universitario Donostia-Instituto Biodonostia, San Sebastián, Spain.
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Tamayo
Paediatric Department, Hospital Universitario Donostia-Instituto Biodonostia, San Sebastián, Spain.
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Oñate
Paediatric Department, Hospital Universitario Donostia-Instituto Biodonostia, San Sebastián, Spain.
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Pérez-Yarza
Microbiology Department, Hospital Universitario Donostia-Instituto Biodonostia, San Sebastián, Spain.
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Pérez-Trallero
D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional; D015278:Intensive Care Units, Pediatric; D010641:Phenotype; D013030:Spain; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity