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Ochrobactrum anthropi meningitis associated with cadaveric pericardial tissue processed with a contaminated
Abstract:
From October 22 through November 3, 1994, three cases of Ochrobactrum anthropi meningitis were diagnosed among pediatric patients at a hospital in Utah (hospital A). The three patients had undergone neurosurgical procedures in which pericardial grafts processed at hospital B were used to close defects of the dura mater. This report summarizes the case investigations, which document that the cases resulted from human pericardial tissue grafts contaminated with O. anthropi.
Insights
Contaminated pericardial grafts caused Ochrobactrum anthropi meningitis in three pediatric patients. Investigations confirmed the human tissue grafts were the source of this rare bacterial infection.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Neuroscience
- Public Health
Background:
- Ochrobactrum anthropi is a rare Gram-negative bacterium.
- Meningitis is a serious infection of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the cause of three Ochrobactrum anthropi meningitis cases in pediatric patients.
- To identify the source of infection linked to neurosurgical procedures.
Main Methods:
- Case investigation and epidemiological analysis.
- Review of neurosurgical procedures and materials used.
- Microbiological analysis of implicated tissue grafts.
Main Results:
- Three pediatric patients developed Ochrobactrum anthropi meningitis between October 22 and November 3, 1994.
- All patients had undergone neurosurgical procedures involving pericardial grafts.
- Human pericardial tissue grafts processed at a separate facility were identified as the source of O. anthropi contamination.
Conclusions:
- Contaminated human pericardial tissue grafts were the source of Ochrobactrum anthropi meningitis in pediatric neurosurgery patients.
- Highlights the risk of infection transmission through contaminated allografts.
- Emphasizes the importance of rigorous screening and processing of tissue grafts.