title: Bacillus species pseudo-outbreak: construction works and collateral damage.
abstract: We describe the investigation and management of a pseudo-outbreak of Bacillus spp. bacteraemia associated with construction work in an emergency department (ED). During the pseudo-outbreak period 59 out of 3469 (1.7%) blood cultures yielded Bacillus spp. versus 24 out of 7628 (0.31%) in 2012. Material, surfaces, and air samples showed environmental contamination. Cases rapidly declined following the implementation of infection control measures and the end of construction. Construction works at the ED caused environmental contamination that most probably led to the pseudo-outbreak of Bacillus bacteraemia. In hospital settings, the lack of correctly implemented effective barriers during construction may place patients and healthcare providers at risk as well as lead to pseudo-outbreaks.
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Department, Infectious Diseases Unit, Hospital Universitari Mútua Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: lboix@mutuaterrassa.cat.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Boix-Palop
authors.affiliation: Infection Control Nurse, Hospital Universitari Mútua Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nicolás
authors.affiliation: Microbiology, Catlab, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xercavins
authors.affiliation: Infection Control Nurse, Hospital Universitari Mútua Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Riera
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Department, Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Prim
authors.affiliation: Infection Control Nurse, Hospital Universitari Mútua Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Freixas
authors.affiliation: Microbiology, Catlab, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pérez
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Department, Infectious Diseases Unit, Hospital Universitari Mútua Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Calbo
mesh_terms: D001407:Bacillus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D006749:Hospital Design and Construction; D006801:Humans; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods
keywords: Bacillus spp.; Bacteraemia; Environmental microbiology; Hospital infection; Pseudo-outbreak