Virulence Analysis of Bacillus cereus Isolated after Death of Preterm Neonates, Nice, France, 2013

Abstract

After the deaths of 2 preterm neonates with Bacillus cereus systemic infection in the same intensive care unit, we investigated the pathogenic potential of this bacterium. Genetic and virulence analysis indicated the neonates were infected with 2 different strains with a virulence potential similar to environmental strains, indicating likely patient immune response failure.

Keywords

• Bacillus cereus
• emerging pathogen
• virulence
• bacteria
• environmental pathogen
• neonates