A Chryseobacterium meningosepticum colonization outbreak in a neonatal intensive care unit

To report the epidemiologic, bacteriologic, and clinical features of a Chryseobacterium meningosepticum outbreak in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of a referral teaching hospital. From April to October 2002, a strain of C. meningosepticum was isolated from four neonates in the NICU. All neonates were colonized in the endotracheal tubes and respiratory secretions, but none of them progressed to clinical infection. Multiple samples were obtained for cultures. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of isolates showed them to be representatives of a single strain. Environmental surveillance did not reveal the C. meningosepticum source. None of the neonates received specific treatment. The outbreak was only controlled by reinforcement of the usual measures and no additional colonization/infection was confirmed for more than a year after the last case. This study suggests that C. meningosepticum colonization in neonates does not necessarily lead to infection and that such colonization outbreaks may be controlled with emphasis on the standard precautions.