Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 28, 2025
Identification of Rare Bacterial Pathogens by 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing and MALDI-TOF MS
Published on: July 11, 2016
Outbreak of Sepsis Following Surgery: Utilizing 16S RNA Sequencing To Detect the Source of Infection
Eran Segal1, Shahar Bar Yosef1, Alex Axel2
1Anesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, Assuta Medical Center, Tel Aviv, ISR.
Abstract:
Background Nosocomial infections are a significant health concern. Following surgery, infections are most commonly associated with the surgical site, yet there are other potential sources for infections after surgical interventions. Identification of the source of infections can be very challenging. Methodology An outbreak of postoperative infections following surgery led to intensive care unit (ICU) admission of patients immediately after the surgical procedure. The blood cultures of two patients were positive for Citrobacter freundii. The only connection between all cases was the anesthesiologist. An epidemiological inquiry could not definitively identify the source of the outbreak. Therefore, we utilized an RNA sequencing technique to evaluate the microbiome of the anesthesiologist and compared the results to bacteria cultured from the bloodstream of the two patients. Results The anesthesiologist's microbiome contained amplicons that were identical to those of the bacteria in the patient's bloodstream. Because Citrobacter freundii is an uncommon source of bloodstream infections, and in the normal human microbiome, the results establish the source of a cluster of infections to the anesthesiologist. Conclusions In cases of nosocomial infections, when conventional microbiological techniques do not clearly establish the source of the infection, using 16S RNA sequencing should be considered.
Insights
A rare bacterial infection outbreak in surgical patients was traced to an anesthesiologist using advanced RNA sequencing. This technique identified the source when traditional methods failed, highlighting its value in diagnosing nosocomial infections.
Area of Science:
- Medical Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Genomics
Background:
- Nosocomial infections pose a significant threat to patient safety, particularly after surgical procedures.
- Surgical site infections are common, but other sources of postoperative infections can be difficult to pinpoint.
- Identifying the origin of healthcare-associated infections is crucial for effective control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate an outbreak of postoperative infections linked to a specific anesthesiologist.
- To determine the source of *Citrobacter freundii* bloodstream infections in surgical patients.
- To evaluate the utility of RNA sequencing in identifying the source of nosocomial infections when standard methods are inconclusive.
Main Methods:
- An outbreak investigation involving patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) post-surgery.
- Blood cultures were performed on infected patients, identifying *Citrobacter freundii*.
- 16S ribosomal RNA (RNA) sequencing was employed to analyze the microbiome of the involved anesthesiologist and compare it with patient isolates.
Main Results:
- Two patients' blood cultures yielded *Citrobacter freundii*, an uncommon cause of bloodstream infections.
- Epidemiological inquiry failed to identify the infection source.
- RNA sequencing revealed identical bacterial amplicons between the anesthesiologist's microbiome and the patients' bloodstream isolates, pinpointing the anesthesiologist as the source.
Conclusions:
- The anesthesiologist was identified as the source of the *Citrobacter freundii* outbreak through microbiome analysis.
- 16S RNA sequencing proved effective in tracing the origin of nosocomial infections when conventional methods were insufficient.
- This study underscores the importance of advanced molecular techniques in diagnosing challenging healthcare-associated infections.
More Related Videos
09:50Detection of Tissue-resident Bacteria in Bladder Biopsies by 16S rRNA Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization
Published on: October 18, 2019
09:07Author Spotlight: Accelerating Diagnostic Accuracy with Direct Identification of Gram-Negatives from Blood Culture Bottles
Published on: May 24, 2024
