[Nosocomial infections caused by multi-resistant Serratia marcescens at a university clinic--clinical aspects and drug resistance].

Serratia marcescens (S.m.) has become increasingly important as a nosocomial pathogen and displayed an increasing resistance to antimicrobial agents in the past decade. We recently studied in 1985 and 1986 an epidemic caused by multi resistant S.m. strains that involved 27 infants and 1 adult patient. 14 neonates (in most cases very low birth weight infants) in a neonatal intensive care unit developed a S.m.-septicemia and/or meningitis, 11 of them died. In a ward for young infants with congenital heart diseases 13 patients suffered a S.m. infection and one patient died in the adult intensive care unit in consequence of a S.m. septicemia.