Cluster of Post–Cardiac Surgery Mycobacterial Infections — Something About the Water?

Inadvertent removal of chlorine from the hospital water supply was implicated as causing the outbreak.

While uncommon, hospital-acquired infection with atypical mycobacteria can cause significant morbidity and mortality. For example, in 2015, contamination of heater-cooler units resulted in an international outbreak of Mycobacterium chimera infections after cardiac surgery. Now, researchers report an investigation of an outbreak of Mycobacterium abscessus in cardiac surgery patients. During a 20-month period, M. abscessus infection was diagnosed in four patients 83 to 528 days after cardiac surgery. Three had left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) and one was immunocompromised. Outcomes included two bloodstream infections, one disseminated sternal wound infection, and one LVAD driveline infection. Despite multi-agent treatment, three patien…

Reviewing Author

Daniel Kaul, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNobelpharma; Pfizer

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Society of Transplantation (Program Committee)

Daniel Kaul, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNobelpharma; Pfizer

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Society of Transplantation (Program Committee)

Cluster of Post–Cardiac Surgery Mycobacterial Infections — Something About the Water?

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Reviewing Author