An Epidemiological Study of Serratia Marcescens Isolates from Nosocomial Infections by Enzyme Electrophoresis

• Published in: Journal of medical microbiology Vol. 46; no. 12; pp. 1019 - 1028
• Main Authors: Goullet, P, Picard, B
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Reading Soc General Microbiol 01.12.1997; Society for General Microbiology
• Subjects: Alleles; Bacteremia - epidemiology; Bacteremia - microbiology; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Cluster Analysis; Cross Infection - epidemiology; Cross Infection - microbiology; Disease Outbreaks; Drug Resistance, Multiple; Electrophoresis - methods; Epidemiology; Esterases - analysis; Esterases - genetics; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Frequency; Genetic Variation; Genotype; Humans; Microbiology; Paris - epidemiology; Polymorphism, Genetic; Respiratory Tract Infections - epidemiology; Respiratory Tract Infections - microbiology; Serratia Infections - epidemiology; Serratia Infections - microbiology; Serratia marcescens - classification; Serratia marcescens - drug effects; Serratia marcescens - enzymology; Serratia marcescens - genetics; Urinary Tract Infections - epidemiology; Urinary Tract Infections - microbiology; France; Europe; Western Europe; Paris; Human; Nosocomial infection; Typing; Genetic variability; Enzyme; Genotype; Infection; Antibiotic; Sensitivity resistance; DNA; Serratia marcescens; Bacteriosis; Molecular epidemiology; Bacteria; Antibacterial agent; Locus; Enterobacteriaceae; Polymorphism
• ISSN: 0022-2615; 1473-5644
• DOI: 10.1099/00222615-46-12-1019

1 Laboratoire de Microbiologie, Faculté de Médecine Xavier Bichat, Université Paris VII, 16 rue Henri Huchard, 75018 Paris 2 Laboratoire de Microbiologie, Faculté de Médecine de Brest, 22 Avenue Camille Desmoulins, 29200 Brest, France * Corresponding author: Professor B. Picard. Received January 20, 1997 Accepted April 24, 1997 Serratia marcescens isolates from 164 patients with suspected nosocomial infection in several hospitals in the greater Paris region were investigated by analysis of the electrophoretically demonstrable allelic variations of gene loci coding for five esterases and five other enzymes. All the loci were polymorphic and the mean number of alleles per locus was 6.1. A total of 72 distinctive electrophoretic types (ETs) representing multilocus genotypes was distinguished. the isolates were divided into two groups according to their resistance to antibiotics: 82 multiresistant isolates (MRI) and 82 relatively susceptible isolates (RSI). Seventy-two MRI (88%) were in four genetically related ETs: ET1, ET2, ET8 and ET9; ET1 was found in 48 isolates, whereas the remaining MRI were in 10 ETs, and all RSI in 61 ETs. Three ETs contained both MRI and RSI. the mean coefficients of genetic diversity for the 10 enzyme loci among ETs and isolates were smaller for MRI than for RSI, while the modal ET of MRI resembled that of RSI. the epidemiological significance of isolates varied according to their ET. Thus, isolates belonging to ET1, ET2 and ET8 were responsible for outbreaks or for sporadic infections, whereas isolates of other ETs were responsible for only sporadic infections. the temporal distribution of ET1 isolates among hospitals identified seven outbreaks in seven clinical departments. Deceased.