Author Affiliations: Department of Infection Control, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China (Lin R, Wu B, Xu XF, Liu XC, Ye H, Ye GY)

Corresponding Author: Xin-Fen Xu, MD, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China (Tel: 86-0571-89991038; Fax: 86-0571-87061878; Email: xuxinfen@zju.edu.cn)

doi:10.1007/s12519-012-0370-4

Background: A molecular epidemiological survey was conducted on an extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (ESBLKp) infection in our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) from February to June 2008.

Methods: Cultures of clinical samples from neonates in the NICU, the hands of healthcare workers and the environment of the NICU were subjected to ESBLKp isolation. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis was performed to determine Klebsiella pneumoniae strains (type A-D).

Results: In 1439 neonates, 38 (2.6%) had infections and 65 (4.5%) had colonizations with ESBLKp. Microbiological sampling of the NICU environment yielded 33 (14.9%) ESBLKp isolates from 222 samples. Clone A was found in 88.2% of the infected neonates, 66.7% of the colonized neonates, 69.7% of the environmental samples, and the hands of a healthcare worker.

Conclusions: The detection rate of ESBLKp is high in environmental samples, especially those from frequently touched surfaces. Since ESBLKp was identified on the hands of a healthcare worker in the present study, hand and environmental hygiene is mandatory for infection control in neonatal intensive care units.

Key words: infection; Klebsiella Pneumoniae; molecular epidemiology; neonatal intensive care unit

World J Pediatr 2012;8(3):268-271