Serratia marcescens (RG2)

Bacteria

Serratia marcescens subsp. marcescens

Strain/Type

clinical isolates:

Nr. 14/22 S. marcescens (AmpC)

Host tropism

Plants and animals (including human) have been found to be hosts to the different Serratia spp.

Route of Transmission

Ingestion of contaminated foods and direct contact. Nosocomial transmission may occur by hand contact from hospital personnel and other patients. Fomites may also spread Serratia.

Serratia may be directly transmitted from person-to-person, but rates are unknown.

Serratia spp. are found in feces, wound exudates, respiratory specimen, blood, eye culture, and urine.

Accidental parenteral inoculation, droplets exposure of mucous membrane, infectious aerosols, and ingestion.

Zoonosis (transmission between animals and humans): No

Characteristics e.g. sensitizing or toxic effects, resistance to antibiotics

Pathogenicity/Toxicity

Serratia spp. are opportunistic pathogens and are one of the ten most common causes of bacteremia in North America. They are responsible for a variety of infections, including bacteremia, pneumonia, intravenous catheter-associated infections, osteomyelitis, endocarditis, and, rarely, endogenous and exogenous endophthalmitis. Symptom of endophthalmitis appears rapidly after infection, and may include fever, erythema, ocular pain, periorbital swelling, and hypopyon (pus in the eyes). The mortality rate from bacteremia due to Serratia spp. 6 months after infection is 37%.

Serratia infections in neonates are frequent (11-15% in neonatal intensive care unit) and may include bloodstream infection (42%), conjunctivitis (26%), pneumonia (13%), urinary tract infection (8%), meningitis (7%), and surgical site infections. Other infections in infants are documented (otitis externa, enterocolitis and omphalitis, gastroenteritis, septic arthritis, and intraperitoneal infection/abcess), but are rare. Risk factors include birth weight, use of mechanical ventilation, and gestational age (under 37 weeks are at greater risk). The mortality rate in neonates is 44%.

Resistances

Many Serratia spp. isolates (39-73%) are resistant to gentamicin. They are all resistant to penicillins and cephalosporin.

Note ht:

Pathogenic for humans and vertebrates, but normally no transmission between the two host groups.

Approved as biological safety measure if taken as recipient organism for genetic engineering?

Genetically modified (GenTSV)

no

Risk group (BioStoffV)

RG 2

Risk assessment

Risk accessment based on TRBA (Technical Rule for Biological Agents) 466 "Classification of prokaryotes (bacteria and archaea) into risk groups": https://www.baua.de/DE/Angebote/Rechtstexte-und-Technische-Regeln/Regelwerk/TRBA/TRBA-466.html

Operation instructions (mandatory for RG2 and higher)

https://biostoffe.dguv.de/data?name=825945&lang=en

Occupational health care (according to ArbMedVV)

Optional health care:
In the case of tasks specifically involving contact and tasks involving incidental contact with biological agents classed as Risk Group 2 under the Biological Agents Ordinance (Biostoffverordnung, BioStoffV) or which involve a comparable risk, the employer must offer an optional health care. This does not apply when on account of the risk assessment and on account of the protective measures taken it can be assumed that there is no risk of infection.
An optional health care must also be offered if as a result of the exposure to biological agents
- a serious infectious illness is to be expected and post-exposure prophylatic measures are possible, or
- an infection has resulted.

Storage location of aliquots in the Biolab (just click Bearbeiten in the right corner of the header to add or change information in the table and use the menue in the left header to e.g. add a row)

Background

We have permission to work with this pathogen but it is currently not stored in our facilities.

Cultivation and freezing protocols

Data sheets, further information