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Related Experiment Videos

Five cases of Alcaligenes pseudobacteraemia.

J R Kerr1, C H Webb

  • 1Department of Bacteriology, Royal Group of Hospitals, Belfast.

The Ulster Medical Journal
|October 1, 1992
PubMed
Summary

A hospital outbreak of pseudobacteraemia caused by Alcaligenes denitrificans was linked to contaminated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) bottles. Corrected procedural guidelines successfully ended the contamination event.

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Area of Science:

  • Clinical Microbiology
  • Infectious Disease Epidemiology
  • Laboratory Diagnostics

Background:

  • Pseudobacteraemia, a false positive blood culture result, can lead to unnecessary patient treatment and increased healthcare costs.
  • Alcaligenes denitrificans is an opportunistic pathogen that can cause nosocomial infections.
  • Contamination of laboratory supplies is a potential source of pseudobacteraemia outbreaks in healthcare settings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate a cluster of five pseudobacteraemia cases attributed to Alcaligenes denitrificans.
  • To identify the source of contamination and the likely cause of the outbreak.
  • To implement control measures to prevent further occurrences.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective case review of five patients with pseudobacteraemia.
  • Microbiological analysis of blood cultures and commercially prepared erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) bottles.
  • Epidemiological investigation to determine the temporal and spatial distribution of cases.

Main Results:

  • Five cases of pseudobacteraemia due to Alcaligenes denitrificans were identified across three hospital wards within a four-week period.
  • Alcaligenes denitrificans was isolated from 4 out of 12 commercially prepared ESR bottles.
  • The most probable cause identified was the filling of ESR bottles before blood culture bottles, leading to cross-contamination.

Conclusions:

  • The outbreak of pseudobacteraemia was likely caused by contaminated ESR bottles.
  • Adherence to strict procedural guidelines for sample collection and preparation is crucial for preventing laboratory-associated infections.
  • Implementing correct procedural advice effectively resolved the contamination issue and ended the outbreak.

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