Hospital superbug kills two-day-old
Agencies
March 23, 2005, London:
A two-day-old baby has died from the hospital “superbug” MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus).Luke Day was born on February 2 and died 36 hours later from MRSA, with the Ipswhich hospital saying he was born without any sign of illness, though the birth had been complicated.
“We instigated an immediate investigation into the events surrounding this unexpected death,” the hospital’s acting chief executive Chris Dooley said in a statement.“This investigation included testing of the ward, the surrounding maternity facilities, all staff who have come into contact with Luke and the immediate family members for the presence of MRSA. All of these tests have proved negative.”
The cause of death was established by a Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children pathologist.Healthy baby Luke’s 17-year-old mother Glynis Day told Sky television she hadn’t noticed anything unusual with the baby. “His colour was fine, he was just crying for milk,” she said.
“Later one of the midwives touched him and he didn’t move. Then there were all these doctors running about.”
The baby’s father, Kevin Fenton said he initially refused to sign the death certificate because it had no mention of MRSA.“I told them that I wasn’t going to sign it unless MRSA was put on. We got a call two days later saying that it had been changed,” Fenton said.“I have no confidence in the NHS (National Health Service) now — if I ever have to go into hospital I will be afraid. I would never go to Ipswich Hospital now.”
Figures released earlier this month suggested that the number of MRSA infections in England had fallen to the lowest level since recording began. In the six months to September 2004, 3,519 NHS patients were treated for MRSA infection, a year-on-year drop of 6.3 per cent.
What is MRSA?
• Superbug MRSA, or Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, is resistant to conventional antibiotics
• MRSA first appeared in the 1960s but has now reached epidemic levels
• Mortality rates were highest among older people
• The vast majority of MRSA cases occur in adults because they spend more time in hospital than children
• In children, about 53 per cent occur in those under a year old
March 23, 2005, London:
A two-day-old baby has died from the hospital “superbug” MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus).Luke Day was born on February 2 and died 36 hours later from MRSA, with the Ipswhich hospital saying he was born without any sign of illness, though the birth had been complicated.
“We instigated an immediate investigation into the events surrounding this unexpected death,” the hospital’s acting chief executive Chris Dooley said in a statement.“This investigation included testing of the ward, the surrounding maternity facilities, all staff who have come into contact with Luke and the immediate family members for the presence of MRSA. All of these tests have proved negative.”
The cause of death was established by a Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children pathologist.Healthy baby Luke’s 17-year-old mother Glynis Day told Sky television she hadn’t noticed anything unusual with the baby. “His colour was fine, he was just crying for milk,” she said.
“Later one of the midwives touched him and he didn’t move. Then there were all these doctors running about.”
The baby’s father, Kevin Fenton said he initially refused to sign the death certificate because it had no mention of MRSA.“I told them that I wasn’t going to sign it unless MRSA was put on. We got a call two days later saying that it had been changed,” Fenton said.“I have no confidence in the NHS (National Health Service) now — if I ever have to go into hospital I will be afraid. I would never go to Ipswich Hospital now.”
Figures released earlier this month suggested that the number of MRSA infections in England had fallen to the lowest level since recording began. In the six months to September 2004, 3,519 NHS patients were treated for MRSA infection, a year-on-year drop of 6.3 per cent.
What is MRSA?
• Superbug MRSA, or Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, is resistant to conventional antibiotics
• MRSA first appeared in the 1960s but has now reached epidemic levels
• Mortality rates were highest among older people
• The vast majority of MRSA cases occur in adults because they spend more time in hospital than children
• In children, about 53 per cent occur in those under a year old
Comments
I now wonder how many health workers of our government hospitals are even aware of the term, especially in the labour wards!
The bacterial strain seems to have developed resistance to the regular antibiotics and has to be treated with intravenous antibiotics within a matter of hours. Unnecessary and excessive use of antibiotics has led to this increased resistance. Doctors will not suspect MRSA right at the start and this can be really fatal.