What happens if Serratia marcescens is left untreated?

S. marcescens has been shown to cause a wide range of infectious diseases, including urinary, respiratory, and biliary tract infections, peritonitis, wound infections, and intravenous catheter-related infections, which can also lead to life-threatening bacteremia.

What symptoms does Serratia marcescens cause?

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 Serratia marcescens go away on its own?

Although extremely rare, it can also cause pneumonia and meningitis. Once s. marcescens has established itself on a surface, completely eliminating it can be very difficult. Total eradication of the bacteria can be only accomplished with a bleach-based disinfectant or cleaner.

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.

Can Serratia cause sepsis?

The main risk factors for bacteraemia/sepsis which is caused by Serratia is hospitalization, placement of intravenous catheters, intraperitoneal catheters and urinary catheters and prior instrumentation of the respiratory tract [2–5]. Serratia marcescens causes both opportunistic and nosocomial infections.

The Woman Who Saw Pink: Serratia Marcescens | Medical Documentary | Reel Truth

What disease is caused by Serratia?

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.

What is the best treatment for Serratia marcescens bacteria?

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.

Is Serratia infection contagious?

Nosocomial transmission may occur by hand contact from hospital personnel and other patients. Fomites may also spread Serratia. INCUBATION PERIOD: Unknown. COMMUNICABILITY: Serratia may be directly transmitted from person-to-person, but rates are unknown ³.

Can Serratia cause pneumonia?

It naturally occurs in soil and water as well as the intestines, and it is responsible for nosocomial infections. There have been few reports about community acquired pneumonia of Serratia.

Can Serratia marcescens 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.

Can Serratia be cured?

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.

Can Serratia marcescens cause a rash?

Based on the absence of similar case reports in the literature, we report these two pediatric cases to emphasize that Serratia marcessens infections can present with papillovesicular rash similar to that seen in varicella zoster infections.

Why does pink mold keep coming back?

The discoloration comes from a biofilm—that is, a bacterial colony—of Serratia marcescens. The airborne bacterial species thrives in moist environments like showers, where it feeds on mineral deposits in soap scum and fatty deposits in soap and shampoo residue.

How do you get Serratia in lungs?

It can naturally occur in soil and water as well as in the intestine. It can often involve the lungs as a nosocomial (hospital-acquired) infection. Serratia species may sometimes harbor multidrug-resistance mechanisms that can complicate treatment.

What is the incubation period for Serratia marcescens?

No prodigiosin was formed in either medium when cultures were incubated at 38 C; however, after a shift to 27 C, pigmentation ensued, provided the period of incubation at 38 C was not longer than 36 hr for minimal medium or 48 hr for complete medium.

What happens if I touch Serratia marcescens?

If an infected hand touches the eye and natural immunity is unable to fend off Serratia colonization, the result might be conjunctivitis, keratitis or tear duct infections, for example. Once in the bloodstream, Serratia bacteria can cause endocarditis, bacteremia, meningitis, osteomyelitis and arthritis.

How common is Serratia marcescens infection?

While S. marcescens is a rare cause of community-acquired infections, it has emerged as an important nosocomial healthcare-associated pathogen and a frequent source of outbreaks of hospital infection (72), in both adult (122) and paediatric patients (115).

How do you get rid of Serratia marcescens?

Once established, the organism usually cannot be eliminated entirely. However, periodic and thorough cleaning of the surfaces where the pink slime occurs, followed by disinfection with chlorine bleach, appears to be the best way to control it.

At what site is Serratia normally found?

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.

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.

Can Serratia marcescens cause skin infection?

The incidence of skin infections caused by Serratia marcescens is extremely low and such infections are typically observed in immunocompromised patients. The clinical manifestations of these infections include cellulitis, abscesses, fluctuant nodules, or granulomatous lesions.

Is Serratia marcescens hospital acquired?

Serratia marcescens is a significant hospital-acquired pathogen, and many outbreaks of S. marcescens infection have been reported in neonates.

Why is Serratia marcescens important?

Serratia marcescens is an important cause of nosocomial infections in both human and veterinary medicine. In human patients it is often linked to intravenous drug use. The organism has a tremendous ability to survive in the environment and may contaminate and remain viable in disinfectant solutions.

Can pink mold make you sick?

Beware of the following pink mold symptoms and illnesses:

Allergic reactions like coughing, sneezing, eye irritations and skin rash. Pneumonia and bronchitis due to prolonged lung inflammation. Bladder infections and urinary tract infections (UTI) Respiratory tract infection.

Is pink mold airborne?

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.