Burkholderia cepacia complex outbreak originating from contaminated wash gloves

Elia Lo Priore; Stefano Bernasconi; Hervè Schlotterbeck; Helena MB. Seth-Smith; Adrian Egli; Gladys Martinetti; Carlo Balmelli

Infection Prevention in Practice (Mar 2020)

Burkholderia cepacia complex outbreak originating from contaminated wash gloves

Elia Lo Priore,
Stefano Bernasconi,
Hervè Schlotterbeck,
Helena MB. Seth-Smith,
Adrian Egli,
Gladys Martinetti,
Carlo Balmelli

Affiliations

Elia Lo Priore: Division of Hospital Epidemiology, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Bellinzona, Switzerland; Corresponding author. Division of Hospital Epidemiology, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Viale Officina 3, 6500, Bellinzona, Switzerland.
Stefano Bernasconi: Head of Nursing Staff, Cardiocentro Ticino, Lugano, Switzerland
Hervè Schlotterbeck: Anesthaesia and Intensive Care Department, Cardiocentro Ticino, Lugano, Switzerland
Helena MB. Seth-Smith: Division of Clinical Bacteriology and Mycology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Applied Microbiology Research Unit, Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
Adrian Egli: Division of Clinical Bacteriology and Mycology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Applied Microbiology Research Unit, Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
Gladys Martinetti: Laboratory of Bacteriology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Bellinzona, Switzerland
Carlo Balmelli: Division of Hospital Epidemiology, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Bellinzona, Switzerland

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 2, no. 1

Abstract

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Summary: Burkholderia cepacia complex isolates were detected from four patients who were admitted to the heart centre of southern Switzerland, between April and June 2019. An outbreak investigation was conducted. The three available patient samples were whole genome sequenced, showing that they all are Burkholderia cepacia species, and that two are identical. Isolates grown from sealed packages of disinfectant-free wash gloves used for personal hygiene were also genomically identical. The wash gloves appear to be the origin of the outbreak, contamination of which most likely occurred at the manufacturing site.

Published in Infection Prevention in Practice

ISSN: 2590-0889 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Infectious and parasitic diseases; Medicine: Public aspects of medicine
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/infection-prevention-in-practice

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