All Journals > Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology > November 2007 > Outbreak of B. cepacia BSI Among Outpatients

Article Tools

Search for Related Articles

  • By Author
  • Search In

Announcements

Highlighted Article

NHSN Annual Update:
Antimicrobial-Resistant Pathogens Associated With Healthcare-Associated Infections

Annual Summary of Data Reported to the National Healthcare Safety Network at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2006–2007

Antimicrobial-resistant pathogens that cause healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) pose an ongoing and increasing challenge to hospitals, both in the clinical treatment of patients and in the prevention of the cross-transmission of these problematic pathogens.  Describing the magnitude of the problem with respect to these antimicrobial-resistant pathogens is challenging, because the levels of antimicrobial resistance vary for different types of healthcare facilities and for different geographic areas, and some resistance phenotypes are difficult for laboratories to detect. However, the findings from such attempts may help the infection control and public health communities target problems and utilize resources more efficiently.

In the News

Featured in The Times
"Ireland 'losing war' on superbug" February 15, 2009
Challenges of Implementing National Guidelines for the Control and Prevention of Methicillin‐Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Colonization or Infection in Acute Care Hospitals in the Republic of Ireland
Fidelma Fitzpatrick, MD; Fiona Roche, PhD; Robert Cunney, MB; Hilary Humphreys, MD; Strategy for the Control of Antimicrobial Resistance in Ireland Infection Control Subcommittee
The research, published in Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, found one third of hospitals did not have a written policy on antibiotic use, and only 35% had an antibiotic stewardship programme.

November 2007

Volume 28, Number 11
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2007;28:1311–1313
This article is in the public domain, and no copyright is claimed.
0899-823X/2007/2811-0016
DOI: 10.1086/522679
Concise Communication

Outbreak of Burkholderia cepacia Bloodstream Infection at an Outpatient Hematology and Oncology Practice

Karon Abe, PhD;

Melissa Tobin D’Angelo, MD, MPH;

Rebecca Sunenshine, MD;

Judith Noble‐Wang, PhD;

James Cope, MPH;

Bette Jensen, MMSc;

Arjun Srinivasan, MD

From the Division of Public Health, Georgia Department of Human Resources (K.A., M.T.D., J.C.), the Epidemic Intelligence Service, Office of Workforce and Career Development, (K.A.), and the Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, National Center for Infectious Diseases (R.S., J.N.W., B.J., A.S.), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.

We investigated an outbreak of infection in 10 patients with blood cultures positive for B. cepacia. All patients had indwelling intravenous catheters. Though we did not identify the source of the organism, our findings support the hypothesis that cross‐contamination of multidose medications through the use of the same needle and syringe was a contributing factor.

Received April 3, 2007; accepted July 23, 2007; electronically published September 19, 2007.

Address reprint requests to Karon Abe, PhD, CDC/DRH/MIHB, 4770 Buford Hwy., MS K‐23, Atlanta, GA, 30341 ().

  • The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Back to Top
Close Popup