INCREASING ISOLATION OF SERRATIA SPECIES FROM CLINICAL SPECIMENS

A 14-month survey was undertaken in a diagnostic bacteriology laboratory to determine the incidence of Serratia spp. in routine clinical specimens. Gram-negative organisms with enterobacteria-like colonies were tested by a simple screening procedure. Fifty-eight strains of S. marcescens and two strains of S. liquefaciens were isolated from 59 patients. The strains were usually nonpigmented and exhibited multiple antibiotic resistance. Serotyping and determination of bacteriocine sensitivity patterns revealed that the majority of infections were sporadic, although episodes of cross-infection did occur.S. marcescens was considered to contribute significantly to morbidity and mortality in 53% of patients and appears to be of increasing importance in hospital-acquired infections. © 1979, Cambridge University Press