Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38418981›Full record

ArticleBMC infectious diseases2024

Outbreak investigation of Serratia marcescens bloodstream infection in an obstetric ward for high-risk pregnant women.

Seulki Kim, Sunah Jung, Dong Hyung Lee, Chulhun L Chang, Moonsuk Bae, A Reum Kim, Su Jin Lee, Seungjin Lim

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
0.3field-weighted citation impact, top 52% 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

3 citing papers in PubMed, 2 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. International journal of molecular sciences · 2026
    Review
  2. Review
  3. Nurse Perceptions of Barriers to Infection Prevention and Control in Labor and Delivery.Journal of obstetric, gynecologic, and neonatal nursing : JOGNN · 2025
    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

8 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Seulki Kim *Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, 20 Geumo-Ro, Mulgeum-Eup, Yangsan, 50612, Republic of Korea.
Sunah Jung *Infection Prevention Department, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan, Republic of Korea.
Dong Hyung LeeDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan, Republic of Korea.
Chulhun L ChangDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan, Republic of Korea.
Moonsuk BaeDepartment of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, 20 Geumo-Ro, Mulgeum-Eup, Yangsan, 50612, Republic of Korea.
A Reum KimDepartment of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, 20 Geumo-Ro, Mulgeum-Eup, Yangsan, 50612, Republic of Korea.
Su Jin LeeDepartment of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, 20 Geumo-Ro, Mulgeum-Eup, Yangsan, 50612, Republic of Korea.
Seungjin LimDepartment of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, 20 Geumo-Ro, Mulgeum-Eup, Yangsan, 50612, Republic of Korea. babopm@naver.com.
Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital · KRPusan National University · KR

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSerratia marcescens is a gram-negative bacterium that is widespread in the environment. S. marcescens bacteremia can be fatal during pregnancy and cause persistent chorioamnionitis. This study reports an outbreak of Serratia marcescens bloodstream infection (BSI) among high-risk pregnant women in an obstetric ward. The purpose of this study is to report our experience with the usefulness of the ATP test in hospital environmental management and to confirm that bloodstream infections of patients with the same strain were correlated by WGS testing.

methodsThis retrospective study collected the data of inpatients with S. marcescens bacteremia in obstetric ward for high-risk pregnant women from August 22, 2021, to October 14, 2021. We performed: an adenosine triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence test in the environment with a high-contact area; environmental culture; on-site monitoring and staff education; and whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to evaluate genetic relationships among S. marcescens isolates.

resultsS. marcescens BSI occurred in four consecutive patients. None of the patients had central venous catheters. An ATP bioluminescence test revealed that high-contact areas and areas for injection preparation were not clean (≥ 1000 relative light units). However, S. marcescens was not identified in the environmental cultures, likely due to intensive environmental cleaning and discarding of potentially contaminated specimens before the culture test. On-site monitoring and education were conducted for 1 month. There were no further reports of BSI until 6 months after the last patient was discharged. WGS performed on three isolates from three patients indicated that the isolated S. marcescens was likely from the same strain.

conclusionsWe controlled an S. marcescens outbreak by improving environmental cleaning as well as education of and behavior changes in healthcare workers. Using the ATP bioluminescence test can provide feedback on environmental cleaning and education. WGS played a role in determining the spread of BSI caused by the same strain.

Indexed as

BacteremiaCross InfectionSepsisSerratia InfectionsAdenosine TriphosphateDisease OutbreaksFemaleHospitalsHumansInfant, NewbornIntensive Care Units, NeonatalPregnancyPregnant PeopleRetrospective StudiesSerratia marcescensAdenosine TriphosphateBloodstream infectionHand hygieneHigh-risk pregnancyInfectious disease outbreaksSerratia marcescensWhole-genome sequencing

Identifiers

PMID38418981
PMCPMC10900556
OpenAlexW4392234793

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.