An outbreak of ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae blood stream infection in a neonatal intensive care unit at a university hospital in Egypt

摘要

We describe an outbreak of blood stream infection (BSI) in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of Zagazig University Hospital, Zagazig, Egypt, due to clonal spread of ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae (ESBL-KP). The reservoir for this pathogen appears to be the gastrointestinal tract of colonized neonates, and transmission is facilitated by hand carriage of healthcare workers. Risk factors for acquiring the infection have also been concluded.Special attention is being placed on infant BSIs due to their series impact on clinical outcomes. Of major concern are cases caused by ESBL-KP , because they are markedly associated with treatment failure and death (1). Nosocomial outbreaks produced by these organisms can be the result of clonal or polyclonal spread (2, 3). It is important that risk factors for such infections be determined to develop effective strategies aiming at curtailing the outbreaks.