Investigation of an outbreak caused by Cronobacter malonaticus in a Maternity Hospital in Teresina, Piauí: Characterization and typing by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis

Authors

  • Marcelo Luiz Lima Brandão Instituto Nacional de Controle de Qualidade em Saúde, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (INCQS/Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil Author
  • Natália Scudeller Umeda Instituto Nacional de Controle de Qualidade em Saúde, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (INCQS/Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil Author
  • Karyne Rangel Carvalho Instituto Nacional de Controle de Qualidade em Saúde, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (INCQS/Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil Author
  • Ivano de Filippis Instituto Nacional de Controle de Qualidade em Saúde, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (INCQS/Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3395/2317-269x.00290

Keywords:

Cronobacter spp., PFGE, Phenotypic Characterization, Genotypic Characterization, Infant Formulae

Abstract

Cronobacter spp. are considered opportunistic pathogens that cause severe infections in newborns due to the consumption of powdered infant formulas. In 2013, three cases of infection in neonates caused by the Cronobacter spp. were reported in a Maternity Hospital at Teresina, Piauí. The objective of this study was to investigate the outbreak to elucidate the source of contamination, identify the species involved, and assess the genetic relatedness among the clinical isolates. The samples of powdered infant formulas and pasteurized human milk that were ingested by the neonates were analyzed by different cultivation methods. The clinical strains were phenotypically characterized by the Vitek 2.0 system and conventional biochemical tests. To identify the genus and species, polymerase chain reaction targeting gluA and rpoB, respectively, was performed. The isolates were typed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis using the restriction enzyme Spel. No food sample showed contamination by Cronobacter spp. Three blood isolates were identified as C. malonaticus, two classified as biogroup 9 and one as biogroup 5, and were grouped in the same genotype. Our results suggest that the same clone was responsible for infection in three patients, but the source of contamination could not be identified.

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Author Biographies

  • Marcelo Luiz Lima Brandão, Instituto Nacional de Controle de Qualidade em Saúde, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (INCQS/Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
    Setor de Alimentos / Laboratório de Microbiologia de Produtos / Departamento de Microbiologia
  • Natália Scudeller Umeda, Instituto Nacional de Controle de Qualidade em Saúde, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (INCQS/Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
    Setor de Alimentos / Laboratório de Microbiologia de Produtos / Departamento de Microbiologia
  • Karyne Rangel Carvalho, Instituto Nacional de Controle de Qualidade em Saúde, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (INCQS/Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
    Setor de Saneantes / Laboratório de Microbiologia de Produtos / Departamento de Microbiologia
  • Ivano de Filippis, Instituto Nacional de Controle de Qualidade em Saúde, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (INCQS/Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
    Laboratório de Bactérias e Fungos de Referência / Departamento de Microbiologia

Published

2015-08-26

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Investigation of an outbreak caused by Cronobacter malonaticus in a Maternity Hospital in Teresina, Piauí: Characterization and typing by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. (2015). Health Surveillance under Debate: Society, Science & Technology , 3(3), 91-96. https://doi.org/10.3395/2317-269x.00290

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