Transmission of Enterobacter aerogenes septicemia in healthcare workers.
Enterobacter aerogenes is recognized as an important bacterial pathogen in hospital-acquired infections. This report describes two unusual cases of septicemia caused by E. aerogenes in immunocompetent healthcare workers. E. aerogenes was isolated from blood cultures of the two patients experiencing septicemia. The clinical isolates were initially identified as E. aerogenes using a VITEK II automated system and 16S rRNA sequence analysis, and; both isolates involved in the outbreak shared a common pulse-field gel electrophoresis pattern. The similarities between the two cases included the simultaneous development of gastroenteritis symptoms, severe sepsis and thrombocytopenia after taking intravenous injections of ketorolac tromethamine. A common source of normal saline, a 100 mL bottle, was used for diluting the analgesic in both cases. In addition to the general population, healthcare workers, especially those who are also intravenous drug abusers, should be considered subjects that could cause a transmission of Enterobacter infection.
Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Chosun University, 588 Seosuk-dong, Dong-gu, Gwangju, 501-717 Republic of Korea.
Piyush
P
Jha
Premedical Science, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
Choon-Mee
CM
Kim
Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Chosun University, 588 Seosuk-dong, Dong-gu, Gwangju, 501-717 Republic of Korea.
Dong-Min
DM
Kim
Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Chosun University, 588 Seosuk-dong, Dong-gu, Gwangju, 501-717 Republic of Korea.
Jong-Hoon
JH
Chung
Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Chosun University, 588 Seosuk-dong, Dong-gu, Gwangju, 501-717 Republic of Korea.
Na-Ra
NR
Yoon
Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Chosun University, 588 Seosuk-dong, Dong-gu, Gwangju, 501-717 Republic of Korea.
Babita
B
Jha
Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
Seok Won
SW
Kim
Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
Sook Jin
SJ
Jang
Department of Medical Education, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
Young-Joon
YJ
Ahn
Health and Environment Research Institute of Gwangju Metropolitan City, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
Jae Keun
JK
Chung
Microbiology Division, Jeollanam-do Institute of Health and Environment, Muan, Republic of Korea.
Doo Young
DY
Jeon
Enterobacter aerogenes; Gastroenteritis; Immunocompetent healthcare workers; Septicemia