Single-source outbreak of Candida tropicalis complicating coronary bypass surgery

J Clin Microbiol. 1989 Nov;27(11):2426-8. doi: 10.1128/jcm.27.11.2426-2428.1989.

Abstract

Candida tropicalis was isolated from the sternal wounds of eight coronary bypass patients from 18 to 89 days postoperatively; infections were limited to soft tissue in five patients but involved the sternum in three patients. Analysis of surgery records implicated one individual as the potential source of the yeast; this was confirmed by microbiological studies of fingertips and nasopharynx cultures of all personnel in contact with these patients. Only the suspect nurse, then acting as a scrub nurse and not as a circulator, infected the eight patients. Her removal from the cardiac team terminated the cluster outbreak.

MeSH terms

  • Candida / isolation & purification
  • Candidiasis / epidemiology*
  • Carrier State / microbiology
  • Coronary Artery Bypass*
  • Cross Infection / epidemiology*
  • Disease Outbreaks*
  • Disease Reservoirs
  • Female
  • Fingers / microbiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Nasopharynx / microbiology
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Surgical Wound Infection / epidemiology*