Further studies on the sources of Klebsiella aerogenes in hospital patients

We report an investigation into faecal carriage of Klebsiella aerogenes and the distribution of this organism in the environment of three wards. In all three wards faecal carriage rates were high (60–70%). The faecal carriage rate increased with antibiotic administration and with length of in-patien...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of hygiene 1979-12, Vol.83 (3), p.391-395
Main Authors: Cooke, E. Mary, Pool, Roselene, Brayson, Janet C., Edmondson, A. S., Munro, Mary E., Shinebaum, Ruth
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology
Antibiotics
Bacteriological Techniques
Carrier State - microbiology
Disease Reservoirs
Enterobacter aerogenes
Feces - microbiology
Female
Hand - microbiology
Hospitalization
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Infections
Klebsiella
Klebsiella pneumoniae - drug effects
Klebsiella pneumoniae - isolation & purification
Length of stay
Microbiology
Nurses
Pediatrics
Soaps
Surgical specialties
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Summary:We report an investigation into faecal carriage of Klebsiella aerogenes and the distribution of this organism in the environment of three wards. In all three wards faecal carriage rates were high (60–70%). The faecal carriage rate increased with antibiotic administration and with length of in-patient stay. K. aerogenes was widely distributed in the ward environment and was found on the hands of nursing staff. Clusters of isolations of K. aerogenes of the same serotype were demonstrated indicating either patient-to-patient transfer or a common source of infection. The results indicate that even under conditions in which there are no outbreaks of K. aerogenes infection, there is a large reservoir of this organism both in the bowel of patients and in the ward environment.
ISSN:0022-1724
2396-8184
DOI:10.1017/S0022172400026218