Do healthy people get Serratia?

They do not cause infections in healthy individuals, but therapies, conditions, and procedures that compromise patients immunologically or physiologically make them susceptible to colonization by opportunistic pathogens, including Serratia. Infants, very old patients, and intravenous drug users are also susceptible.

How do you get a Serratia infection?

The major factors that are involved in the development of the Serratia infection include contamination of the respiratory equipment and poor catheterization techniques. Most of the outbreaks have been reported from the paediatrics ward.

How does someone get Serratia marcescens?

The bacteria will grow in any moist location where phosphorous containing materials or fatty substances accumulate. Sources of these substances include soap residues in bathing areas, feces in toilets, and soap and food residues in pet water dishes.

Is Serratia harmless?

Is Serratia Marcescens Dangerous? Since mold is dangerous to health, many think this pink film is dangerous. In most cases, unless you are in poor health, Serratia marcescens isn't harmful. It has been known to contaminate contact lenses, cause eye infections, and irritation.

Where are Serratia found?

Serratia marcescens (S. marcescens) is a gram-negative bacillus that occurs naturally in soil and water and produces a red pigment at room temperature. It is associated with urinary and respiratory infections, endocarditis, osteomyelitis, septicemia, wound infections, eye infections, and meningitis.

Osmosis | Serratia Marcescens

Is Serratia normal flora?

Serratia species are gram-negative bacilli of the Enterobacteriaceae group of bacteria, although they are not a common component of healthy human fecal flora.

Where does Serratia marcescens live in the human body?

It is commonly found in the respiratory and urinary tracts of hospitalized adults and in the gastrointestinal systems of children. Due to its abundant presence in the environment, and its preference for damp conditions, S.

Is Serratia marcescens found in the gut?

Identification of potentially pathogenic species within the intestinal microbiota is therefore important. Serratia marcescens is a common enteric bacterium generally thought not to be pathogenic in the gastrointestinal tract.

What happens if you get Serratia marcescens?

S. marcescens bacteria is known to cause a variety of different types of human infections, including: urinary tract infections (UTIs), respiratory tract infections, conjunctivitis, tear duct infections, and keratitis. Although extremely rare, it can also cause pneumonia and meningitis.

How do you know if you have Serratia marcescens?

Symptoms may include fever, frequent urination, dysuria, pyuria, or pain upon urination. In 90% of cases, patients have a history of recent surgery or instrumentation of the urinary tract.

Can you be colonized with Serratia?

Colonization by Serratia spp. was associated with yearly age at admission, long ICU stay and high mortality. Both the respiratory and digestive tracts were frequently colonized. Our findings do not support the contention that the digestive tract is more important as reservoir than the respiratory tract in neonates.

What is the incubation period for Serratia marcescens?

Context in source publication. ... this various incubation period, the results elucidated that 48 hours incubation showed the highest pigment production in S. marcescens and the results were represented in Figure 1.

How do you get rid of Serratia marcescens infection?

Serratia infections should be treated with an aminoglycoside plus an antipseudomonal beta-lactam, as the single use of a beta-lactam can select for resistant strains. Most strains are susceptible to amikacin, but reports indicate increasing resistance to gentamicin and tobramycin.

What disinfectant kills Serratia marcescens?

Though Serratia will not survive in chlorinated drinking water, the bacteria can grow in toilets where water is left standing long enough for the chlorine to dissipate. To kill the bacteria, clean affected surfaces with a strong chlorine bleach solution.

Does Serratia cause diarrhea?

Serratia marcescens is incriminated in hospital-associated infections, and HIV/AIDS associated diarrhea. We have recently found that Serratia spp. may be found more commonly in the stools of patients with diarrhea than in asymptomatic control children.

What is the pink slime in my sink?

Pink slime, the residue stain commonly found in your sink, is caused by an airborne bacterium known as Serratia Marcescens. A common misconception about the bacterium is that it is believed to be caused by mold, but that is not the case. The bacterium can be found worldwide as it grows in an environment with moisture.

Is Serratia marcescens airborne?

Serratia is an airborne bacteria and can not survive in your chlorinated water supply. These airborne bacteria can come from any number of naturally occurring sources and the condition can be aggravated if you remove chlorine using an activated carbon filter.

What causes a pink ring in the toilet bowl?

However, the pink ring that develops at the water line in the toilet, around drains, in the tub/shower area, in bathroom drinking cups, and even dog bowls is actually caused by airborne bacteria known as Serratia Marcescens.

Can Serratia cause UTI?

There have been only a few reported human cases of infections caused by Serratia rubidae in literature. Among these sparse cases there is only one reported case of urinary tract infection (UTI) due to S. rubidae in literature. The organism is known to produce a red pigment known as prodigiosin.

Why does my shower go pink?

The “pink mold” you may find in your shower actually isn't mold, but a very common strain of airborne bacteria that's found throughout the world. The bacteria, Serratia marcescens, cause that pink or even red slime you might find in your shower, toilet bowl, or around other water fixtures.

How do you get Serratia marcescens in urine?

In 90% of cases, patients have a history of recent surgery or instrumentation of the urinary tract. Important risk factors for with Serratia urinary tract infections include diabetes mellitus, urinary tract obstruction, and renal failure.

Is Serratia marcescens harmful to humans?

In rare cases, Serratia marcescens can be deadly.

Along with other bacteria, Serratia marcescens is a source of hospital-acquired infections, which can happen if a patient's immune system is severely compromised or if the bacterium enters the body with a catheter, respirator or other medical device.

How common is Serratia?

Serratia Species

The estimated incidence of Serratia infections in CGD patients is up to 0.98 cases per 100 patient-years, with a recurrence rate of 18%. Lymphadenitis and skin abscesses are the most common infections (44%), followed by pulmonary infections (36%) and osteomyelitis (8%).

What diseases or problems does Serratia marcescens cause?

Well-documented infections caused by S. marcescens include pneumonia, urinary tract infection, bacteremia, biliary tract infection, wound infection, meningitis, and endocarditis. Rarely does it present as cellulitis and necrotizing fasciitis (NF), resulting in severe sepsis and multiorgan failure.

Where is S. marcescens commonly in your home?

Most of us have seen Serratia marcescens in our daily environment when colonies of the bacteria appear in the toilet bowl, shower stall, bathtub, or the pet's water dish as a pink film. In addition to appearing on water surfaces, it is also found in dust in the feces of animals and humans.