No abstract available.
Sepsis* ; Serratia marcescens* ; Serratia*

Serratia marcescens is a recognized nosocomial opportunistic pathogen but rarely caused central nervous system infection especially in the neonates. Outbreaks have been documented in the neonatal intensive care units (NICU) and a higher incidence among those with surgical procedures. This review aims to describe a neonate with nonleaking lumbosacral myelomeningocele presenting with multiple pyogenic brain abscesses caused by S. marcescens admitted in a NICU. This review also presents a concise literature review discussing the potential risk factor involved, diagnostic measures and therapeutic possibilities. We present a neonate with Chiari II malformation admitted in the NICU developing S. marcescens ventriculitis after a lumbosacral myelomeningocele repair. With an empiric treatment of meropenem for one week, repeat ventricular cerebrospinal fluid analysis worsened and developed cerebral abscess as detected using cranial ultrasound. Ciprofloxacin was added and completed for six weeks with improved neurologic status. On a 6-month follow-up, sensorineural hearing loss, focal epilepsy and developmental delay were documented. A systematic review showed that prematurity and NICU outbreaks were among the most common risk factors for the central nervous system involvement of S. marcescens. Meropenem remains to be the antibiotic of choice adjunct with timely neurosurgical intervention. Brain abscess showed the worst prognosis among the neurologic sequelae.

Summary Cutaneous serratia marcescens (S. marcescens) infection is very rare and most cases had history of skin trauma or cutaneous procedure done before. It presents in various forms like non-healing ulcers, abscess formation, nodules with an intermittent course or as granulomatous lesions, thus mimicking non-infective lesions. Antibiotic choice is challenging due to multiple antibiotic resistant strains. We are reporting a case of cutaneous S. marcescens in a 70-year old lady with diabetes mellitus presented with non-healing ulcers over the dorsum of left hand for 6 months.
Serratia marcescens ; Dermatomycoses

No abstract available.
Hidradenitis Suppurativa* ; Hidradenitis* ; Humans ; Serratia marcescens* ; Serratia* ; Skin*

Aims: Marine bacteria have been reported to produce potential natural pigment with pharmaceutical properties and their growth can be manipulated in the laboratory to increase pigment production and their antimicrobial activity. Hence, this study aimed to enhance the prodigiosin production in Serratia marcescens IBRL USM84 by improving physical conditions. Methodology and results: The quantification of the pigment produced by S. marcescens IBRL USM84, bacterial cell growth, and its antibacterial activity in the broth medium were determined using a spectrophotometry method. Meanwhile, the antibacterial effect of red pigment on MRSA cells was observed under a scanning electron microscope (SEM). This marine isolate produced the highest yield of prodigiosin (6.95 μg/mL) when cultivated in marine broth with the addition of 0.2% of agar, 25 °C incubation temperature, initial medium pH of 7, 150 rpm of agitation speed for 48 h of cultivation time under light illumination. There was an increment of 151.81% in prodigiosin production after enhancement compared to before the enhancement of cultural conditions. SEM observations revealed that severe damage to the cell’s morphologies was exposed to red pigment as indicated by the formation of small dents, which led to completely collapse and eventually, cell death. Conclusion, significance and impact of study A positive correlation between pigment production and antibacterial activity was observed in the present study. The results supported the fact that marine bacteria are a reservoir of various pigments with antimicrobial properties. Also, the pigment production by S. marcescens and its antibacterial activity were significantly influenced by physical parameters.
Prodigiosin ; Serratia marcescens ; Marine Biology

Child ; Endocarditis, Bacterial ; etiology ; Foreign Bodies ; complications ; Heart ; Humans ; Male ; Serratia Infections ; etiology ; Serratia marcescens

PURPOSE: Serratia marcescens keratitis is relatively common among the various bacterial corneal infections and has been known to be associated with contact lens wear. The authors performed a study to identify the risk factors, clinical features and treatment results. METHODS: Epidemiologic study was prospectively performed under the identical protocol from May 1995 to April 2000 in 11 hospitals. RESULTS: Twenty cases of Serratia marcescens keratitis were diagnosed. Contact lens wear was involved in Serratia marcescens keratitis in 90%. The highest age prevalence was in the thirties(45%). The majority of them were students(30%) and office workers(30%). CONCLUSIONS: The principle risk factor of Serratia marcescens keratitis in this study was contact lens wear. The proper use of contact lens and education on it's complications may play an important role in reducing the incidence rate of Serratia marcescens keratitis.
Education ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Epidemiology ; Incidence ; Keratitis* ; Prevalence ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Serratia marcescens* ; Serratia*

An outbreak of nosocomial infections caused by Serratia marcescens is described. There were 40 bacterial isolates from 21 patients during a 3 month period at pediatric ward and sick baby room. Bacterial cultures from blood revealed positive in 19 patients out of 21, but one from urine and the other from bronchial secretions. 16 cases among 19 Serratia septicemia were completely recovered, but 3 patients were discharged without adequate treatment. We lost two patients in spite of vigorous medical treatment. Factors associated with Serratia infections were previous multiple and ?road-spectrum antimicrobial therapy and underlying chronic debilitating disese. Indwelling intravenous catheter and previously instrumented urinary tract were the most frequent portals of entry. The isolated strains were resisant to most antibiotics, but most frequently sensitvive to gentamicin, amikacin and chloramphenicoI. It is recommended that until specific antibiotic sensitivities can be obtained, patients with Serratia septicemia should be treated with chloramphenciol in combination with gentamicin or amikacin. Dust collection of the sick baby room, the incubators of the pediatric ward and the nurse room were contaminated with serratia marcescens. The distilled water of the cold steam and incubator were also contaminated. The culture of the specimens from the hands of doctors and nurses revealed many Serratia organisms. The control measures were instituted and the outbreak stopped. These data demonstrate that the organism can become pathogenic for man in certain clinical situations, especially in patients with chronic debilitating disease who have been treated with multiple antibiotics. These experience emphasized the problems in recognition of hospital associated infections.
Amikacin ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Catheters ; Cross Infection ; Dust ; Gentamicins ; Hand ; Humans ; Incubators ; Sepsis ; Serratia Infections ; Serratia marcescens* ; Serratia* ; Steam ; Urinary Tract ; Water

A minimal test scheme, consisting of deoxyribonuclease (DNase) and tween 80 hydrolysis (TEH) together with a few other biochemical tests, was used to make tentative identification of Serratia marcescens from clinical specimens. The identifications were reevaluated by testing comprehensive biochemical characteristics of 52 isolates, and all were found to be correct. The biochemical reactions of the isolates were very homogenous, showing typical characteristics of the species except in the urease test and acid production from sucrose, adonitol and inositol. These facts support the feasibility of the use of the minimal identification scheme. Pigment production was noted only in 7 isolates invalidating the value of this characteristic for the identification. Fifty-seven isolates were tested for their antibiotic susceptibility. They were found most frequently susceptible to gentamicin (47.4%), chloramphenicol (35.0%) and kanamycin (28.1%). Many isolates (49.1%) were multiply resistant to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, gentamicin, kanamycin, streptomycin and tetracycline.
Antibiotics/pharmacology* ; Cells, Cultured ; Drug Resistance, Microbial ; Human ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Serratia marcescens/drug effects ; Serratia marcescens/isolation & purification ; Serratia marcescens/metabolism*

Aims: Tryptamine is an amine compound derived from tryptophan by decarboxylation process. This compound can be found in fermented food and beverages, and in human gut and skin as well. This study aims to investigate the effect of tryptamine, on Gram-negative bacteria, namely Escherichia coli, Serratia marcescens and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Methodology and results: In this study, we used E. coli, S. marcescens and P. aeruginosa due to their relatively observable quorum sensing-regulated phenotype, such as motility, prodigiosin and pyocyanin sequentially. Our results showed that tryptamine started to inhibit the growth and prodigiosin production of S. marcescens at concentration 250 μg/mL, while it inhibits the growth and pyocyanin production of P. aeruginosa at concentration 250 μg/mL and 500 μg/mL, respectively. Tryptamine inhibits both the growth and motility of E. coli at concentration 100 μg/mL. Conclusion, significance and impact of study These results suggest that tryptamine is able to inhibit the growth of E. coli, S. marcescens and P. aeruginosa at relatively high concentration, thus decreases the quorum sensing-regulated phenotypes. It implies that the growth and quorum sensing of Gram-negative bacteria most likely will not be affected by the low concentration of tryptamine that present in the gut.
Tryptamines ; Gram-Negative Bacteria ; Serratia marcescens ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; Escherichia coli