Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40462180›Full record

ArticleAntimicrobial resistance and infection control2025

Environmental investigation of 10 cases of nosocomial Bacillus cereus bacteraemia between 2018 and 2023.

Elissa Maalouf, Barthélémy Tosello, Sophie Schipani, Frédérique Gouriet, Claire Nicaise, Alix Lamoureux, Farah Beih, Agnès Delaby, Véronique Roux, Remi N Charrel and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Antimicrobial resistance and infection control, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

11 authors.

Elissa MaaloufUnite des Virus Emergents (UVE: Aix-Marseille University, Università di Corsica, IRD 190, Inserm 1207, IRBA), Marseille, France. elissa.maalouf@etu.univ-amu.fr.
Barthélémy ToselloDepartment of Neonatology, AP-HM Hôpitaux Universitaires de Marseille, Marseille, France.
Sophie SchipaniLe Service de Prévention du Risque Infectieux (LeSPRI), EOH Hôpital Nord, AP- HM Hôpitaux Universitaires de Marseille, Marseille, France.
Frédérique GourietLaboratoire des Agents Infectieux, AP-HM Hôpitaux Universitaires de Marseille, Marseille, France.
Claire NicaiseDepartment of Neonatology, AP-HM Hôpitaux Universitaires de Marseille, Marseille, France.
Alix LamoureuxLe Service de Prévention du Risque Infectieux (LeSPRI), EOH Hôpital Nord, AP- HM Hôpitaux Universitaires de Marseille, Marseille, France.
Farah BeihDepartment of Neonatology, AP-HM Hôpitaux Universitaires de Marseille, Marseille, France.
Agnès DelabyLe Service de Prévention du Risque Infectieux (LeSPRI), EOH Hôpital Nord, AP- HM Hôpitaux Universitaires de Marseille, Marseille, France.
Véronique RouxLe Service de Prévention du Risque Infectieux (LeSPRI), EOH Hôpital Nord, AP- HM Hôpitaux Universitaires de Marseille, Marseille, France.
Remi N CharrelUnite des Virus Emergents (UVE: Aix-Marseille University, Università di Corsica, IRD 190, Inserm 1207, IRBA), Marseille, France.
Carole EldinUnite des Virus Emergents (UVE: Aix-Marseille University, Università di Corsica, IRD 190, Inserm 1207, IRBA), Marseille, France.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBacillus cereus can cause severe and potentially fatal bloodstream infections in immunocompromised patients, including preterm neonates. When the infection is nosocomial, investigating a potential environmental source is crucial to mitigate the transmission. This study investigated the potential environmental sources of ten cases of B. cereus bacteraemia in a neonatal intensive care unit.

methodsWe retrospectively analysed strains from 6 temporal groups of cases involving 10 preterm neonates with bacteraemia (December-2018 to November-2023) and 28 related environmental samples. Strain typing used Multi-locus Sequence Typing (MLST) to identify sequence types (ST), followed by core-genome analysis (cgMLST) and whole genome sequencing (WGS) for strains within the same ST.

resultsThe 10 clinical strains belonged to 10 different STs, while environmental strains fell into 18 STs. Fourteen strains across four STs matched clinical and environmental sources and were grouped into 4 groups (G1 to G4). Two environmental strains linked to clinical cases were isolated from medical offices, and five from nurses' locker rooms. These strains were analysed by WGS (Illumina) alongside other Bacillus species. G1 and G2 corresponded to B. cereus species whereas strains of G3 and G4 were closely related to B. pacificus and B. paranthracis, respectively.

conclusionWe determined that severe B. cereus infections cases in 10 preterm neonates were not linked to each other, but rather to multiple potential environmental reservoirs within the NICU, often located farther from clinical wards than expected. These areas are not subject to same hygienic standards as medical units. Our findings highlight the need for routine monitoring of hand hygiene practices along with close surveillance and systematic biocleaning that targets not only direct patient care areas but also the broader hospital environment.

Indexed as

Bacillus cereusBacteremiaCross InfectionGram-Positive Bacterial InfectionsFemaleGenome, BacterialHumansInfant, NewbornInfant, PrematureIntensive Care Units, NeonatalMaleMultilocus Sequence TypingRetrospective StudiesWhole Genome SequencingBacillus cereuscgMLSTNeonatologyNICUNosocomial infectionsWGS

Identifiers

PMID40462180
PMCPMC12135446

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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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.