Flavobacterium sepsis outbreak due to contaminated distilled water in a neonatal intensive care unit

• Published in: The Journal of hospital infection Vol. 78; no. 3; pp. 214 - 215
• Main Authors: Mosayebi, Z, Movahedian, A.H, Soori, T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-07-2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Bacterial diseases; Bacterial sepsis; Biological and medical sciences; Cross Infection - epidemiology; Cross Infection - microbiology; Cross Infection - mortality; Cross Infection - pathology; Disease Outbreaks; Drug Contamination; Female; Flavobacteriaceae Infections - epidemiology; Flavobacteriaceae Infections - microbiology; Flavobacteriaceae Infections - mortality; Flavobacteriaceae Infections - pathology; Flavobacterium; Flavobacterium - isolation & purification; Human bacterial diseases; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infectious Disease; Infectious diseases; Intensive Care, Neonatal; Male; Medical sciences; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Neonatal intensive care unit; Outbreak; Sepsis; Sepsis - epidemiology; Sepsis - microbiology; Sepsis - mortality; Sepsis - pathology; Water Microbiology; Sepsis; Flavobacterium; Outbreak; Neonatal intensive care unit; Human; Epidemic; Flavobacteriaceae; Distilled water; Bacteremia; Contamination; Intensive care unit; Infection; Sepsis syndrome; Newborn; Bacteriosis; Bacteria; Public health
• ISSN: 0195-6701; 1532-2939
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2010.11.022

Summary Outbreaks of sepsis due to water or contaminated equipment can cause significant mortality and morbidity in neonatal intensive care units. We studied an outbreak among neonates caused by flavobacterium and investigated the characteristics of the infected neonates, antimicrobial susceptibilities, and the source of the outbreak. Forty-five neonates with documented flavobacterium sepsis were evaluated in this descriptive study. Data including sex, vaginal delivery or caesarean, preterm or term, birth weight, results of blood cultures and antibiograms were recorded and cases followed up until death or recovery. Environmental sampling for detecting the source of contamination was performed. Among the 45 patients, 28 (62.2%) were male and 17 (37.8%) female ( P < 0.001). The commonest clinical manifestation was respiratory distress (60%). Eighteen neonates (40%) were low birth weight. Thirty-seven neonates (82.2%) were born via caesarean section. Twenty (44.4%) of them were preterm whereas 25 (55.6%) were term ( P < 0.001). Mortality was 17.7%. All strains were resistant to ampicillin, and susceptible to amikacin. The source of outbreak was contaminated distilled water.