Pseudo-outbreak of Clostridium sordellii infection following probable cross-contamination in a hospital clinical microbiology laboratory

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2010 Jun;31(6):640-2. doi: 10.1086/652774.

Abstract

We report a pseudo-outbreak of infection caused by Clostridium sordellii, an uncommon human pathogen. The pseudo-outbreak involved 6 patients and was temporally associated with a change by the clinical microbiology laboratory in the protocol of handling anaerobic culture specimens. All isolates were genetically indistinguishable from a laboratory reference strain used for quality control.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Clostridium Infections / epidemiology*
  • Clostridium Infections / etiology*
  • Clostridium sordellii / genetics
  • Clostridium sordellii / isolation & purification*
  • Cross Infection / epidemiology*
  • Disease Outbreaks*
  • Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field
  • Epidemiologic Studies
  • Humans
  • Laboratories, Hospital*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Specimen Handling