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Bacillus cereus nosocomial infection from reused towels in Japan

S Dohmae1, T Okubo, W Higuchi

  • 1Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infectious Disease Control and International Medicine, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan.

The Journal of Hospital Infection
|July 8, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Hospital-acquired Bacillus cereus infections increased in summer, linked to contaminated linens like towels. These distinct hospital strains showed antibiotic resistance, unlike food-poisoning strains.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Hospital Epidemiology

Background:

  • Nosocomial infections pose a significant threat to patient safety.
  • Bacillus cereus is a known opportunistic pathogen that can cause various infections.

Observation:

  • An increase in Bacillus cereus nosocomial infections was observed during summer months between 2000 and 2005.
  • Five catheter-related bloodstream infections caused by distinct Bacillus cereus strains (novel multilocus sequence types ST365-ST368) occurred in 2005.
  • Bacillus cereus contamination was detected in reused hospital towels and washing machines, with strains matching patient isolates.

Findings:

  • Hospital-acquired Bacillus cereus strains exhibited distinct genetic profiles (multilocus sequence typing) and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns compared to food-poisoning strains.
  • Hospital strains showed ciprofloxacin resistance, a trait not observed in food-poisoning strains.
  • Virulence genes typically found in food-poisoning Bacillus cereus strains (emetic toxin, cytotoxin K) were largely absent in hospital isolates.

Implications:

  • Specific Bacillus cereus strains appear to circulate within hospital environments, possessing unique characteristics separate from foodborne pathogens.
  • Contaminated hospital linens, particularly towels, serve as a significant reservoir for Bacillus cereus transmission, especially during warmer months in Japan.
  • Understanding these distinct hospital-associated strains is crucial for developing targeted infection control strategies to prevent Bacillus cereus nosocomial infections.

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