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. 2002 Jul;40(7):2626-8.
doi: 10.1128/JCM.40.7.2626-2628.2002.

Large-scale outbreak of infection with Mycobacterium chelonae subsp. abscessus after penicillin injection

Yang Zhibang  1 , Zhang BiXia, Lu Qishan, Chen Lihao, Liu Xiangquan, Li Huaping
Affiliations

Large-scale outbreak of infection with Mycobacterium chelonae subsp. abscessus after penicillin injection

Yang Zhibang et al. J Clin Microbiol. 2002 Jul.

Abstract

An outbreak of infection with Mycobacterium chelonae subsp. abscessus after the injection of penicillin in 86 patients attending a factory hospital is reported. The bacterium was isolated both from lids and from the soil where the drug was stored. Molecular analysis by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of whole-cell proteins and plasmids revealed a pattern identical to that of the strains isolated from the wounds. The source of the infections was soil contamination of the vial lids and was caused by improper use and sterilization of penicillin vials.

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Figures

FIG. 1.
FIG. 1.
Bacteria in a pathogenic slice from an infectious focus in a patient. The specimen shows many gram-positive bacilli arranged in V or L shapes with observable dark granules within the tissue spaces. Gram stain. Oil immersion. Magnification, ×1,000.
FIG. 2.
FIG. 2.
Swollen lymph nodes in a patient. The specimen shows granulomatous inflammation and tuberculoid necrosis. Hematoxylin-eosin stain. Magnification, ×200.
FIG. 3.
FIG. 3.
Coomassie blue-stained SDS-PAGE profiles of whole-cell proteins from M. chelonae subsp. abscessus. Lanes: 1 to 4, strains isolated from clinical samples; 5, strain isolated from lids; 6, strain isolated from soil samples; 7, reference strain of M. chelonae subsp. abscessus; 8, C. equi reference strain; 9, molecular size markers (kilodaltons).
FIG. 4.
FIG. 4.
Plasmid profiles of M. chelonae subsp. abscessus. Lanes: 1 to 5 and 9, strains isolated from clinical samples; 6, strain isolated from lids; 7, strain isolated from soil samples; 8, strain with plasmids eliminated; 10, reference strain of M. chelonae subsp. abscessus; 11, molecular size markers (kilobases).
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Comment in

References

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