Enterobacter cloacae resistant to third generation cephalosporins emerged rapidly during an outbreak of serious infections due to this organism in a neonatal intensive care unit where ampicillin and gentamicin were used as first line antibiotic treatment. Organisms resistant to cephalosporins were isolated from 12 infants, six of whom developed systemic infection. Two infants died. Isolates of ...

OBJECTIVE From October 1996 to March 1997, a cluster of 11 cases of neonatal sepsis caused by Enterobacter cloacae with similar antimicrobial susceptibility patterns occurred in a neonatal intensive care unit. This outbreak prompted an investigation. METHOD Twelve isolates obtained from 6 neonatal patients who developed E cloacae sepsis during the outbreak were analyzed. Four E cloacae isolat...