Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30586509›Full record

ArticleThe New England journal of medicine2018

Investigation of a Cluster of Sphingomonas koreensis Infections.

Ryan C Johnson, Clay Deming, Sean Conlan, Caroline J Zellmer, Angela V Michelin, ShihQueen Lee-Lin, Pamela J Thomas, Morgan Park, Rebecca A Weingarten, John Less and 8 more

Open access · bronzeAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The New England journal of medicine, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 32 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
32citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
5.3field-weighted citation impact, top 4% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

32 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 62 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Prospective Study of a Novel, Radiation-Free, Reduced-Intensity Bone Marrow Transplantation Platform for Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases.Biology of blood and marrow transplantation : journal of the American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation · 2020
    Trial
  3. Effects of High-Fat Diet on Intestinal Microbiota in Largemouth Bass (Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2026
    Article
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Sulfonamide resistance geneMicrobiology spectrum · 2026
    Article
  7. Review
  8. Article
  9. A persistent sink reservoir as a potential source ofAntimicrobial stewardship & healthcare epidemiology : ASHE · 2025
    Article
  10. Environmental hygiene strategies to combat antimicrobial resistance in healthcare settings.Antimicrobial stewardship & healthcare epidemiology : ASHE · 2025
    Review
  11. LeechWorld journal of gastroenterology · 2024
    Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Review
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Review
  18. Article
  19. Review
  20. Tap Water Avoidance Decreases Rates of Hospital-onset Pulmonary Nontuberculous Mycobacteria: A Call for Water Management in Healthcare.Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America · 2021
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

18 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Ryan C JohnsonFrom the National Human Genome Research Institute (R.C.J., C.D., S.C., S.L.-L., J.A.S.), National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center (C.J.Z., A.V.M., R.A.W., J.P.D., K.M.F., D.K.H., A.F.L., T.N.P.), and the Division of Facilities, Operations, and Maintenance (J.L.), NIH, Bethesda, and the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center, NIH, Rockville (P.J.T., M.P.) - all in Maryland; Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany (K.A.M.); and the Special Bacteriology Reference Laboratory, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta (J.R.M.). Dr. Park serves as an author on behalf of the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center Comparative Sequencing Program.
Clay DemingFrom the National Human Genome Research Institute (R.C.J., C.D., S.C., S.L.-L., J.A.S.), National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center (C.J.Z., A.V.M., R.A.W., J.P.D., K.M.F., D.K.H., A.F.L., T.N.P.), and the Division of Facilities, Operations, and Maintenance (J.L.), NIH, Bethesda, and the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center, NIH, Rockville (P.J.T., M.P.) - all in Maryland; Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany (K.A.M.); and the Special Bacteriology Reference Laboratory, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta (J.R.M.). Dr. Park serves as an author on behalf of the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center Comparative Sequencing Program.
Sean ConlanFrom the National Human Genome Research Institute (R.C.J., C.D., S.C., S.L.-L., J.A.S.), National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center (C.J.Z., A.V.M., R.A.W., J.P.D., K.M.F., D.K.H., A.F.L., T.N.P.), and the Division of Facilities, Operations, and Maintenance (J.L.), NIH, Bethesda, and the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center, NIH, Rockville (P.J.T., M.P.) - all in Maryland; Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany (K.A.M.); and the Special Bacteriology Reference Laboratory, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta (J.R.M.). Dr. Park serves as an author on behalf of the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center Comparative Sequencing Program.
Caroline J ZellmerFrom the National Human Genome Research Institute (R.C.J., C.D., S.C., S.L.-L., J.A.S.), National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center (C.J.Z., A.V.M., R.A.W., J.P.D., K.M.F., D.K.H., A.F.L., T.N.P.), and the Division of Facilities, Operations, and Maintenance (J.L.), NIH, Bethesda, and the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center, NIH, Rockville (P.J.T., M.P.) - all in Maryland; Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany (K.A.M.); and the Special Bacteriology Reference Laboratory, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta (J.R.M.). Dr. Park serves as an author on behalf of the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center Comparative Sequencing Program.
Angela V MichelinFrom the National Human Genome Research Institute (R.C.J., C.D., S.C., S.L.-L., J.A.S.), National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center (C.J.Z., A.V.M., R.A.W., J.P.D., K.M.F., D.K.H., A.F.L., T.N.P.), and the Division of Facilities, Operations, and Maintenance (J.L.), NIH, Bethesda, and the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center, NIH, Rockville (P.J.T., M.P.) - all in Maryland; Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany (K.A.M.); and the Special Bacteriology Reference Laboratory, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta (J.R.M.). Dr. Park serves as an author on behalf of the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center Comparative Sequencing Program.
ShihQueen Lee-LinFrom the National Human Genome Research Institute (R.C.J., C.D., S.C., S.L.-L., J.A.S.), National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center (C.J.Z., A.V.M., R.A.W., J.P.D., K.M.F., D.K.H., A.F.L., T.N.P.), and the Division of Facilities, Operations, and Maintenance (J.L.), NIH, Bethesda, and the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center, NIH, Rockville (P.J.T., M.P.) - all in Maryland; Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany (K.A.M.); and the Special Bacteriology Reference Laboratory, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta (J.R.M.). Dr. Park serves as an author on behalf of the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center Comparative Sequencing Program.
Pamela J ThomasFrom the National Human Genome Research Institute (R.C.J., C.D., S.C., S.L.-L., J.A.S.), National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center (C.J.Z., A.V.M., R.A.W., J.P.D., K.M.F., D.K.H., A.F.L., T.N.P.), and the Division of Facilities, Operations, and Maintenance (J.L.), NIH, Bethesda, and the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center, NIH, Rockville (P.J.T., M.P.) - all in Maryland; Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany (K.A.M.); and the Special Bacteriology Reference Laboratory, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta (J.R.M.). Dr. Park serves as an author on behalf of the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center Comparative Sequencing Program.
Morgan ParkFrom the National Human Genome Research Institute (R.C.J., C.D., S.C., S.L.-L., J.A.S.), National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center (C.J.Z., A.V.M., R.A.W., J.P.D., K.M.F., D.K.H., A.F.L., T.N.P.), and the Division of Facilities, Operations, and Maintenance (J.L.), NIH, Bethesda, and the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center, NIH, Rockville (P.J.T., M.P.) - all in Maryland; Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany (K.A.M.); and the Special Bacteriology Reference Laboratory, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta (J.R.M.). Dr. Park serves as an author on behalf of the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center Comparative Sequencing Program.
Rebecca A WeingartenFrom the National Human Genome Research Institute (R.C.J., C.D., S.C., S.L.-L., J.A.S.), National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center (C.J.Z., A.V.M., R.A.W., J.P.D., K.M.F., D.K.H., A.F.L., T.N.P.), and the Division of Facilities, Operations, and Maintenance (J.L.), NIH, Bethesda, and the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center, NIH, Rockville (P.J.T., M.P.) - all in Maryland; Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany (K.A.M.); and the Special Bacteriology Reference Laboratory, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta (J.R.M.). Dr. Park serves as an author on behalf of the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center Comparative Sequencing Program.
John LessFrom the National Human Genome Research Institute (R.C.J., C.D., S.C., S.L.-L., J.A.S.), National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center (C.J.Z., A.V.M., R.A.W., J.P.D., K.M.F., D.K.H., A.F.L., T.N.P.), and the Division of Facilities, Operations, and Maintenance (J.L.), NIH, Bethesda, and the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center, NIH, Rockville (P.J.T., M.P.) - all in Maryland; Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany (K.A.M.); and the Special Bacteriology Reference Laboratory, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta (J.R.M.). Dr. Park serves as an author on behalf of the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center Comparative Sequencing Program.
John P DekkerFrom the National Human Genome Research Institute (R.C.J., C.D., S.C., S.L.-L., J.A.S.), National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center (C.J.Z., A.V.M., R.A.W., J.P.D., K.M.F., D.K.H., A.F.L., T.N.P.), and the Division of Facilities, Operations, and Maintenance (J.L.), NIH, Bethesda, and the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center, NIH, Rockville (P.J.T., M.P.) - all in Maryland; Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany (K.A.M.); and the Special Bacteriology Reference Laboratory, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta (J.R.M.). Dr. Park serves as an author on behalf of the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center Comparative Sequencing Program.
Karen M FrankFrom the National Human Genome Research Institute (R.C.J., C.D., S.C., S.L.-L., J.A.S.), National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center (C.J.Z., A.V.M., R.A.W., J.P.D., K.M.F., D.K.H., A.F.L., T.N.P.), and the Division of Facilities, Operations, and Maintenance (J.L.), NIH, Bethesda, and the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center, NIH, Rockville (P.J.T., M.P.) - all in Maryland; Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany (K.A.M.); and the Special Bacteriology Reference Laboratory, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta (J.R.M.). Dr. Park serves as an author on behalf of the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center Comparative Sequencing Program.
Kimberlee A MusserFrom the National Human Genome Research Institute (R.C.J., C.D., S.C., S.L.-L., J.A.S.), National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center (C.J.Z., A.V.M., R.A.W., J.P.D., K.M.F., D.K.H., A.F.L., T.N.P.), and the Division of Facilities, Operations, and Maintenance (J.L.), NIH, Bethesda, and the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center, NIH, Rockville (P.J.T., M.P.) - all in Maryland; Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany (K.A.M.); and the Special Bacteriology Reference Laboratory, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta (J.R.M.). Dr. Park serves as an author on behalf of the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center Comparative Sequencing Program.
John R McQuistonFrom the National Human Genome Research Institute (R.C.J., C.D., S.C., S.L.-L., J.A.S.), National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center (C.J.Z., A.V.M., R.A.W., J.P.D., K.M.F., D.K.H., A.F.L., T.N.P.), and the Division of Facilities, Operations, and Maintenance (J.L.), NIH, Bethesda, and the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center, NIH, Rockville (P.J.T., M.P.) - all in Maryland; Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany (K.A.M.); and the Special Bacteriology Reference Laboratory, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta (J.R.M.). Dr. Park serves as an author on behalf of the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center Comparative Sequencing Program.
David K HendersonFrom the National Human Genome Research Institute (R.C.J., C.D., S.C., S.L.-L., J.A.S.), National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center (C.J.Z., A.V.M., R.A.W., J.P.D., K.M.F., D.K.H., A.F.L., T.N.P.), and the Division of Facilities, Operations, and Maintenance (J.L.), NIH, Bethesda, and the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center, NIH, Rockville (P.J.T., M.P.) - all in Maryland; Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany (K.A.M.); and the Special Bacteriology Reference Laboratory, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta (J.R.M.). Dr. Park serves as an author on behalf of the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center Comparative Sequencing Program.
Anna F LauFrom the National Human Genome Research Institute (R.C.J., C.D., S.C., S.L.-L., J.A.S.), National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center (C.J.Z., A.V.M., R.A.W., J.P.D., K.M.F., D.K.H., A.F.L., T.N.P.), and the Division of Facilities, Operations, and Maintenance (J.L.), NIH, Bethesda, and the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center, NIH, Rockville (P.J.T., M.P.) - all in Maryland; Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany (K.A.M.); and the Special Bacteriology Reference Laboratory, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta (J.R.M.). Dr. Park serves as an author on behalf of the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center Comparative Sequencing Program.
Tara N PalmoreFrom the National Human Genome Research Institute (R.C.J., C.D., S.C., S.L.-L., J.A.S.), National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center (C.J.Z., A.V.M., R.A.W., J.P.D., K.M.F., D.K.H., A.F.L., T.N.P.), and the Division of Facilities, Operations, and Maintenance (J.L.), NIH, Bethesda, and the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center, NIH, Rockville (P.J.T., M.P.) - all in Maryland; Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany (K.A.M.); and the Special Bacteriology Reference Laboratory, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta (J.R.M.). Dr. Park serves as an author on behalf of the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center Comparative Sequencing Program.
Julia A SegreFrom the National Human Genome Research Institute (R.C.J., C.D., S.C., S.L.-L., J.A.S.), National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center (C.J.Z., A.V.M., R.A.W., J.P.D., K.M.F., D.K.H., A.F.L., T.N.P.), and the Division of Facilities, Operations, and Maintenance (J.L.), NIH, Bethesda, and the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center, NIH, Rockville (P.J.T., M.P.) - all in Maryland; Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany (K.A.M.); and the Special Bacteriology Reference Laboratory, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta (J.R.M.). Dr. Park serves as an author on behalf of the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center Comparative Sequencing Program.ORCID 0000-0001-6860-348X
National Human Genome Research Institute · USCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · USNational Institutes of Health · USNew York State Department of Health · US

Funding

Inter- and Intra-Species Comparative SequencingZIBHG000196 · NHGRI · NATIONAL HUMAN GENOME RESEARCH INSTITUTE · PI THOMAS, JAMES · 2009 to 2025
$177.6M
Application of Genomic Approaches to Bacterial Pathogenesis and Mechanisms of Antimicrobial ResistanceZIAAI001249 · NIAID · NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES · PI DEKKER, JOHN · 2019 to 2025
$13.7M
Microbial genomics of hospital-associated pathogensZIAHG200382 · NHGRI · NATIONAL HUMAN GENOME RESEARCH INSTITUTE · PI SEGRE, JULIA ANGELA · 2012 to 2025
$9.1M
Multidrug-resistant organism colonization in the Clinical CenterZIACL004041 · CLC · CLINICAL CENTER · PI PALMORE, TARA · 2014 to 2016
$0k
Environmental Surveillance for BacteriaZIACL010356 · CLC · CLINICAL CENTER · PI FRANK, KAREN · 2016 to 2021
$0k
Intramural NIH HHS ZIA CL004041Intramural NIH HHS ZIA CL010356Intramural NIH HHS ZIA HG200382
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPlumbing systems are an infrequent but known reservoir for opportunistic microbial pathogens that can infect hospitalized patients. In 2016, a cluster of clinical sphingomonas infections prompted an investigation.

methodsWe performed whole-genome DNA sequencing on clinical isolates of multidrug-resistant Sphingomonas koreensis identified from 2006 through 2016 at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center. We cultured S. koreensis from the sinks in patient rooms and performed both whole-genome and shotgun metagenomic sequencing to identify a reservoir within the infrastructure of the hospital. These isolates were compared with clinical and environmental S. koreensis isolates obtained from other institutions.

resultsThe investigation showed that two isolates of S. koreensis obtained from the six patients identified in the 2016 cluster were unrelated, but four isolates shared more than 99.92% genetic similarity and were resistant to multiple antibiotic agents. Retrospective analysis of banked clinical isolates of sphingomonas from the NIH Clinical Center revealed the intermittent recovery of a clonal strain over the past decade. Unique single-nucleotide variants identified in strains of S. koreensis elucidated the existence of a reservoir in the hospital plumbing. Clinical S. koreensis isolates from other facilities were genetically distinct from the NIH isolates. Hospital remediation strategies were guided by results of microbiologic culturing and fine-scale genomic analyses.

conclusionsThis genomic and epidemiologic investigation suggests that S. koreensis is an opportunistic human pathogen that both persisted in the NIH Clinical Center infrastructure across time and space and caused health care-associated infections. (Funded by the NIH Intramural Research Programs.).

Indexed as

Sanitary EngineeringAnti-Bacterial AgentsCross InfectionDisease ReservoirsGram-Negative Bacterial InfectionsHospitals, FederalHumansMetagenomicsMicrobial Sensitivity TestsNational Institutes of Health (U.S.)Retrospective StudiesSphingomonasUnited StatesWater SupplyWhole Genome SequencingAnti-Bacterial Agents

Identifiers

PMID30586509
PMCPMC6322212
OpenAlexW2906629698

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.