ArticleAntimicrobial resistance and infection control2026
Application of next-generation sequencing to investigate a Serratia marcescens outbreak in a neonatal intensive care unit.
Article in Antimicrobial resistance and infection control, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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.
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.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
13 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionNosocomial infections in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) are a major concern due to the vulnerability of premature and immunocompromised infants. Serratia marcescens is an opportunistic pathogen often involved in these infections, contributing significantly to morbidity and mortality. Integrating Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) into infection control programs can enhance detection, surveillance, and prevention efforts. This study aimed to develop a mapping-based pipeline for strain typing and phylogenetic analysis of nosocomial infections, enabling detailed comparison of microbial genomes.
methodsA retrospective study describing the outbreak was conducted on 18 S. marcescens strains from 14 patients and 2 from environmental swabs collected in the NICU of the University Hospital of Udine between 2023 and 2024. Genomic DNA was extracted and libraries were prepared using the FX DNA Library Preparation Kit (Qiagen). Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) was performed using an Illumina MiSeq platform (2 × 300 bp paired-end). Data analysis was carried out with CLC Genomic Workbench (Qiagen), using a custom-optimized pipeline for sequence typing (ST). The bioinformatics workflow was developed and validated in-house to ensure accurate SNP-based phylogenetic analysis.
resultsWGS revealed phylogenetic relationships among strains. Six isolates showed close genetic relatedness. Identical genotypes were detected in strains from patient blood samples, rectal swabs, and environmental sources, suggesting potential transmission links.
conclusionsNGS offers detailed insights into the molecular epidemiology of infections and colonization in the NICU. The genomic data generated can support real-time, evidence-based refinement of infection control strategies, contributing to improved patient safety and outbreak prevention.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.