An outbreak of Pantoea agglomerans infection in the neonatal intensive care unit at Teaching Hospital, Kandy, Sri Lanka

Introduction: Pantoea agglomerans is an opportunistic pathogen which causes blood stream infection (BSI) due to contaminated intravenous fluids.

Objective: To investigate an outbreak of BSI in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Teaching Hospital Kandy (THK). 

Method: Blood culture samples were collected from the neonates on admission to the NICU and 2 to 3 days later on clinical suspicion of BSI. The blood culture samples were processed according to standard methods and antibiotic susceptibility tests were carried out as per Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. The environmental screening samples were cultured and identified using standard microbiological methods.

Results: Of the 55 blood cultures, 14 were positive for P. agglomerans. Nine of the 14 neonates responded to treatment with susceptible antibiotics. None of the environmental samples were positive for P. agglomerans species.

Conclusion: P. agglomerans was responsible for the outbreak of BSI in the NICU at THK.