Experimental confirmation of Serratia marcecsens contamination in multiple-dose vials of heparin-saline solution

Polysaccharide‐modified synthetic polymeric biomaterials

“…Conjugation of polysaccharides, such as heparin, to polymeric biomaterials has proven beneficial, as important growth factors can be stabilized, sequestered, and activated. The heterogeneity of heparin, coupled with its possible contamination after isolation from mammalian sources, however, has complicated its use; therefore, identification of a homogeneous synthetic alternative to heparin would provide useful avenues for biomaterial modification 168–170. To this end, Maynard and Hubbell identified a sulfated tyrosine sequence, from a combinatorial peptide library, that bound VEGF with a dissociation constant on the same order as that of the VEGF–heparin interaction 171.…”

Structural problems of medical news reports in newspapers: a verification of news reports on an incident of mass nosocomial Serratia infection

“…Because the IV solutions were prepared using contaminated swabs, Serratia liquefaciens became mixed into the IV solutions, which were left at room temperature, and thus proliferated in the IV solutions, leading to mass nosocomial infection. It has been reported in the past that Serratia The incident disclosed, 2 intravenous drip solutions found to be prepared and kept, 3 gramnegative rods detected in patient's blood, 4 detected bacteria identified as Serratia spp., 5 Serratia liquefaciens detected on multiple medical instruments liquefaciens proliferate within antiseptics that have been left for a long period [9,10], and many physicians concur with this explanation. Serratia liquefaciens were detected in the diluted solution and in the IV solutions on 18 June.…”

Isolation rate of non-hemagglutinating strains of Serratia marcescens from clinical specimens in a general hospital: comparison of serotypes O2 and O14

“…Often isolated from the respiratory tract, urinary tract, and blood samples, 1 this microorganism has often been reported as the cause of nosocomial infections, acquiring resistance to various antibiotics, chlorhexidine, benzalkonium chloride, and antiseptics for heparin solutions (benzyl alcohol). [2][3][4][5] Since 1979 we have been conducting an epidemiological survey of clinical isolates of S. marcescens at Showa University Fujigaoka Hospital, accounting for characteristics such as O serotype, biotype, and drug sensitivity. In the past 10 years, serotypes O2 and O14 have been observed in larger proportions in comparison to other isolated O serotypes.…”