Endemic Serratia marcescens in a neonatal intensive care unit.

OBJECTIVE: To study the endemicity of Serratia marcescens in a neonatal intensive care unit (N.I.C.U). MATERIAL AND METHOD: During the first 4 months of 2001, neonates in the N.I.C.U. in a teaching hospital were screened for S. marcescens by serial throat swabs and collections of other appropriate clinical specimens. Environmental cultures were also done in the same period. Isolated S. marcescens were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility and for genotyping by pulsed field gel electrophoresis. RESULTS: During the period, 104 neonates were studied. S. marcescens were isolated in 34.6% of the cases. Environmental cultures were positive for S. marcescens in 1.4%. There were 10 patterns of antibiogram of the 190 strains isolated. All strains belonged to pulsotype A. CONCLUSION: The study confirmed that S. marcescens was endemic in the N.I.C.U. and belonged to one genotype.