An Outbreak of Gentamicin-ResistantEnterobacter cloacaeInfections in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

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Abstract
The intensive care unit at Children's Medical Center in Dallas is a medical-surgical unit that cares for pediatric patients of all ages. In 1978 an outbreak of infections occurred that was caused by a gentamicin-resistant strain of Enterobacter cloacae. Thirty of the 34 patients involved in the outbreak were neonates. Six patients developed bacteremia, five of them neonates. The neonates who became infected were significantly smaller (> 1500 g) and more premature (< 35 weeks) than control patients. Neonates with bacteremia had a significantly higher incidence of congenital anomalies. In a multi-specialty pediatric intensive care unit newborn infants were the group of patients at high risk for nosocomial infection.