Nosocomial transmission of penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae

Pediatr Pulmonol. 1999 Jun;27(6):432-4. doi: 10.1002/(sici)1099-0496(199906)27:6<432::aid-ppul12>3.0.co;2-1.

Abstract

Two patients were found to harbor intermediate-level penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae in a pediatric hospital setting. For the first patient, the bacterium was isolated from a tracheal aspirate, and for the second patient, a positive blood culture was found a short time after the index case. Two molecular typing techniques (enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus sequence polymerase chain reaction, and repetitive sequence-based polymerase chain reaction) demonstrated homology among these isolates, which suggests person-to-person spread. We propose the need for institution-based infection control precautions that will limit the spread of penicillin-resistant pneumococci.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Child, Preschool
  • Cross Infection / drug therapy*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Penicillin Resistance*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
  • Streptococcal Infections / drug therapy
  • Streptococcal Infections / transmission*
  • Streptococcus pneumoniae / drug effects*
  • Streptococcus pneumoniae / genetics
  • Streptococcus pneumoniae / isolation & purification