Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (Feb 2011)

Outbreak of neonatal infection by an endemic clone of Serratia marcescens

  • Karla Valéria Batista Lima,
  • Raimundo Gladson Corrêa Carvalho,
  • Irna Carla do Rosário Souza Carneiro,
  • Josiane Lílian de Sousa Lima,
  • Cintya de Oliveira Sousa,
  • Edvaldo Carlos Brito Loureiro,
  • Lena Líllian Canto de Sá,
  • Flávia Corrêa Bastos

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1590/S0037-86822011000100024
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 44, no. 1
pp. 106 – 109

Abstract

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INTRODUCTION: The outbreak occurred between February and June 2006 and included identification of the cases, analysis of medical records, cultures from environmental sources, resistance analyses and genotyping profile of Serratia marcescens. METHODS: The cultures were composed of 13 blood isolates, 17 rectal and hand swabs and air sampling. RESULTS: The data obtained by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis exhibited three strains that contaminated 24 patients. Systemic infection was the most common in neonates with lower weight, long periods of hospitalization, premature delivery and the use of mechanical ventilation. CONCLUSIONS: This investigation revealed the multifactorial nature of the outbreak. An endemic clone of S. marcescens was detected.

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