[Increasing incidence of Serratia marcescens bacteraemia in intensive care patients (author's transl)]

The incidence of serratia marcescens in an intensive care unit was investigated in course of several years. After a trial of Cephalosporin-Gentamycin prophylaxis, infection and death due to serratia rose dramatically. The significance of decreased resistance to infection, hygiene regimes as well as mode of administration of antibiotics is related to selection of this rare microorganism causing septicemia.