Successful control of an outbreak of colonization by Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae sequence type 258 in a neonatal intensive care unit, Italy

Abstract

This article reports an outbreak of colonization by Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae (KPC-Kp) sequence type (ST) 258 in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Palermo, Italy. KPC-Kp ST258 was detected by an active surveillance culture programme. Between 18th September and 14th November 2012, KPC-Kp was isolated from 10 out of 54 neonates admitted in the outbreak period. No cases of infection were recorded. Male sex was associated with colonization, whereas administration of ampicillin- sulbactam plus gentamicin was protective. Infection control interventions interrupted the spread of KPC-Kp without the need to close the NICU to new admissions.

Keywords: Colonization; Infection control; KPC-Klebsiella pneumoniae ST258; Multidrug resistance; Neonatal intensive care unit.