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The emergence of Serratia marcescens as a pathogen in a newborn unit
Author(s) -
WAKE C.,
LEES H.,
CULL A. B.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
journal of paediatrics and child health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.631
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1440-1754
pISSN - 1034-4810
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1754.1986.tb02158.x
Subject(s) - serratia marcescens , medicine , outbreak , colonization , incidence (geometry) , isolation (microbiology) , enterobacteriaceae infections , pediatrics , microbiology and biotechnology , enterobacteriaceae , virology , biology , escherichia coli , biochemistry , physics , optics , gene
During a 12 month period, the Waikato Hospital Newborn Intensive Care Unit experienced an epidemic of Serratia marcescens infection. Seventeen serious infections occurred, resulting in three deaths. A further 15 cases of minor infection were also noted. Although no point source of introduction was found, gut colonization proved to be the most important reservoir for nosocomial spread of the organism. At the peak of the outbreak, a 95% incidence of rectal colonization with S. marcescens was observed. Eradication was achieved within a 4 month period using cohort isolation of affected infants.