Nosocomial infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality among neonates admitted to neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). The aim of this paper was to describe an outbreak of Escherichia coli among infants admitted to the NICU of the General Hospital "Dr. Manuel Gea Gonzalez" in May of 2008. The isolated E. coli strains were identified using standard biochemical methods. The susceptibilities of these strains were analysed by determining their minimal inhibitory concentrations. Following this, their molecular relationships to each other were assessed by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis and corroborated by serology. Twelve E. coli strains were isolated from blood, urine, or indwelling catheter samples from five cases of preterm infants within a 3-day period. Patients were admitted to the NICU of the general hospital and, during the outbreak, developed sepsis caused by E. coli. For four of the patients, the average age was 23 days, while one patient was a 3-month-old infant. Prior to sepsis, the infants had received assisted ventilation and hyperalimentation through a central venous catheter. Two profiles were observed by PFGE; profile A was identified as the outbreak's cause and an outcome of cross-infection, while profile B showed genetic differences but serologically it was identified as part of the same serotype. We conclude that E. coli colonised the patients through horizontal transmission. A focal source of the microorganism in this outbreak was not identified, but cross-transmission through handling was the most probable route.

• MeSH
• bakteriální léková rezistence MeSH
• epidemický výskyt choroby * MeSH
• Escherichia coli izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• infekce spojené se zdravotní péčí epidemiologie   mikrobiologie   přenos   MeSH
• infekce vyvolané Escherichia coli epidemiologie   přenos   MeSH
• jednotky intenzivní péče o novorozence * MeSH
• kojenec MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mikrobiální testy citlivosti MeSH
• nemocnice všeobecné MeSH
• novorozenec nedonošený MeSH
• novorozenec MeSH
• pulzní gelová elektroforéza MeSH
• sepse epidemiologie   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• kojenec MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• novorozenec MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Mexiko MeSH