Serratia marcescens: biochemical, serological, and epidemiological characteristics and antibiotic susceptibility of strains isolated at Boston City Hospital.

Applied microbiology ·Vol. 19 ·No. 2 ·1970-02-00 ·Pages 345-52

Wilfert JN, Barrett FF, Ewing WH, Finland M, Kass EH

Abstract

The biochemical, serological, and epidemiological characteristics of 95 strains of Serratia marcescens isolated at the Boston City Hospital were examined. Several strains were shown to be endemic, and the majority of isolates were cultured from urine or respiratory secretions. Serratia species were highly resistant to polymyxin B and the cephalosporins, and various proportions were also resistant to other antibiotics including kanamycin, but all of the isolates were sensitive to gentamicin. The appearance of resistance to kanamycin and nalidixic acid among endemic strains was demonstrated. The nosocomial nature of Serratia infections, particularly those involving the urinary tract, was confirmed. Many clinical bacteriology laboratories currently fail to identify the nonpigmented strains.

MeSH Terms

Boston Cephalosporins/pharmacology Cross Infection/microbiology Culture Media Drug Resistance, Microbial Enterobacteriaceae Infections/microbiology Feces/microbiology Female Gentamicins/pharmacology Hospitals, General Humans Infant Infant, Newborn Kanamycin/pharmacology Male Microbial Sensitivity Tests Middle Aged Nalidixic Acid/pharmacology Pigmentation Polymyxins/pharmacology Respiratory Tract Infections/microbiology Serotyping Serratia marcescens/analysis,classification,drug effects,isolation & purification Species Specificity Sputum/microbiology Urinary Tract Infections/microbiology Urine/microbiology Wounds and Injuries/microbiology

Chemicals

Cephalosporins Culture Media Gentamicins Polymyxins Nalidixic Acid Kanamycin

Authors & Affiliations

5 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID

Wilfert J N

Barrett F F

Ewing W H

Finland M

Kass E H

References (29)

29 references, click to expand

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Article Info

Journal

Applied microbiology

Abbr.

Appl Microbiol

ISSN

0003-6919

DOI

10.1128/am.19.2.345-352.1970

Published

1970-02-00

Pages

345-52

Language

English

Region

United States

NLM ID

7605802

PMCID

PMC376681

Subset

External Links

PubMed source DOI: 10.1128/am.19.2.345-352.1970 PMC Full Text

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Serratia marcescens: biochemical, serological, and epidemiological characteristics and antibiotic susceptibility of strains isolated at Boston City Hospital.

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