An outbreak of Serratia marcescens bloodstream infections associated with misuse of drug vials in a surgical ward.

We report an outbreak of Serratia marcescens bloodstream infection due to contamination of total parenteral nutrition solution by insulin or poligeline solution when single-use vials were used for multiple doses in a surgical ward. Four patients had severe sepsis, and no patient died. Multidose vials, used either correctly or incorrectly, may be associated with bloodstream infection.

MEN 10700, a new penem antibiotic: in vitro antibacterial activity on clinical isolates.

MEN 10700 is a new broad-spectrum penem, currently in preclinical development. In the present study, the activity of MEN 10700 was compared to that of imipenem, meropenem, cefotaxime, ampicillin/sulbactam, amikacin and ciprofloxacin against 619 gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial strains, and to that of imipenem, meropenem, cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, ceftazidime, cefepime and ampicillin/sulbactam against 38 strains of ciprofloxacin-resistant Escherichia coli, and against 19 extended-spectrum-beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing strains of the KES group. MEN 10700 was highly active against most gram-positive and gram-negative strains, and overall demonstrated comparable activity to imipenem and meropenem.