This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-26466674
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 5 | Version 6 |
---|---|
Warning over hospital superbug linked to 16 deaths | Warning over hospital superbug linked to 16 deaths |
(35 minutes later) | |
Sixteen people have died in Manchester in the past four years while infected with a highly resistant superbug, figures show. | Sixteen people have died in Manchester in the past four years while infected with a highly resistant superbug, figures show. |
Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC) is causing increasing concern and a rising number of cases. | Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC) is causing increasing concern and a rising number of cases. |
Some 1,241 patients were affected within the Central Manchester University Hospitals trust area from 2009 to 2013, the figures show. | Some 1,241 patients were affected within the Central Manchester University Hospitals trust area from 2009 to 2013, the figures show. |
Despite infection control, the numbers have increased year on year. | Despite infection control, the numbers have increased year on year. |
The figures, revealed in a Freedom of Information request by the BBC, found 62 patients so far have suffered blood poisoning - with 14 confirmed deaths within 30 days of infection - at Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. | The figures, revealed in a Freedom of Information request by the BBC, found 62 patients so far have suffered blood poisoning - with 14 confirmed deaths within 30 days of infection - at Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. |
Two further deaths have occurred in the current year, the hospital trust confirmed. | Two further deaths have occurred in the current year, the hospital trust confirmed. |
KPC, which causes urinary tract infections and pneumonia in sick patients, is resistant to carbapenems, the last major group of antibiotics to work against multidrug-resistant bacteria. | KPC, which causes urinary tract infections and pneumonia in sick patients, is resistant to carbapenems, the last major group of antibiotics to work against multidrug-resistant bacteria. |
The trust said the chemical, an enzyme, that KPC uses to render antibiotics ineffective had now entered other bacteria, including E. coli and Enterobacter. | |
"This trust has and continues to make strenuous efforts to control and reduce this infection. We continue to work very closely with Public Health England at both a local and national level to develop solutions for the long-term management of patients," it said. | "This trust has and continues to make strenuous efforts to control and reduce this infection. We continue to work very closely with Public Health England at both a local and national level to develop solutions for the long-term management of patients," it said. |
The trust stated that all the patients who had died were seriously ill. Some had diabetes, kidney problems or transplant rejection; some were suffering from leukaemia or other forms of cancer. | |
Central Manchester Hospitals has already had to review guidelines on antibiotics and the treatment of patients who require bowel surgery or cancer treatment that may leave their immunity compromised. | Central Manchester Hospitals has already had to review guidelines on antibiotics and the treatment of patients who require bowel surgery or cancer treatment that may leave their immunity compromised. |
'Extremely unlucky' | 'Extremely unlucky' |
Another Manchester hospital, the Christie, a specialist in cancer care, said nine patients had been colonised by KPC last year. but they had all been transferred to the cancer unit and there had been no cross-infection in the hospital. | |
A Freedom of Information request has also revealed two cases of KPC at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton, with one patient dying in the past two years. | |
Microbiologist Dr Mike Cooper said that the patient who died was 96 and the form of KPC that had infected her was still susceptible to some drugs. | |
"There's a huge element of luck in this. Either Manchester has been extremely unlucky or we have been extremely lucky not to have more cases," he said. | "There's a huge element of luck in this. Either Manchester has been extremely unlucky or we have been extremely lucky not to have more cases," he said. |
Ten patients have also been infected at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire. Two had urinary tract infections, but neither patient died of blood poisoning. | |
Stoke's microbiologist, Jeorge Orendi, said: "Unlike the situation in certain hospitals in Manchester and London, fortunately in our hospital and catchment area carbapenemase producers have remained rare to date." | Stoke's microbiologist, Jeorge Orendi, said: "Unlike the situation in certain hospitals in Manchester and London, fortunately in our hospital and catchment area carbapenemase producers have remained rare to date." |
The KPC resistance mechanism first emerged in the US and spread to Israel. In Europe, it has taken hold in Greece and has reached epidemic proportions in Italy. | The KPC resistance mechanism first emerged in the US and spread to Israel. In Europe, it has taken hold in Greece and has reached epidemic proportions in Italy. |
Gian Maria Rossolini, of the University of Siena, said that the first case was identified in Italy in 2008, but now 4% of all infections in Italy are resistant to carbapenems. | |
Aids epidemic | Aids epidemic |
Dr Rossolini said deaths from blood infections were running at more than 40%, but for immune-compromised patients they could be as high as 80%. | |
Although KPC is still susceptible to an old and quite toxic antibiotic, colistin, in Florence this year more than 50% of KPC cases proved resistant to it. | |
"Although present in the UK, the problem seems to be still much more limited as compared to Italy and Greece," he said. | |
Professor Laura Piddock, of Birmingham University, said: "It's clear that what has gone on in Italy is our tomorrow. We have got to start preserving what we have got and use it wisely. | |
"If we are really serious about tackling this problem, we have to start viewing this in the same way as high-income countries viewed the Aids epidemic in the 90s. | |
"It's going to take that sort of level of global policymaker decision-making to really tackle this issue properly." | |
Research published in the Journal of Antibiotics found that colonisation with KPC is long-lasting, with 39% of patients still carrying KPC in their gut a year after being released from hospital. | |
In Birmingham, Prof Peter Hawkey is conducting nationwide research to identify the extent of KPC resistance and that of a more widespread, but slightly less virulent superbug, ESBL. | In Birmingham, Prof Peter Hawkey is conducting nationwide research to identify the extent of KPC resistance and that of a more widespread, but slightly less virulent superbug, ESBL. |
Patients in London, Southampton, Birmingham and Shropshire are being asked to send in faeces samples so the spread of the disease can be mapped. | Patients in London, Southampton, Birmingham and Shropshire are being asked to send in faeces samples so the spread of the disease can be mapped. |
Prof Hawkey said: "It makes sense whilst we are looking for these ESBL that we are also able to detect how many of these KPC organisms are in the community. | Prof Hawkey said: "It makes sense whilst we are looking for these ESBL that we are also able to detect how many of these KPC organisms are in the community. |
"I can conceive of techniques which may be able to make bacteria to kill these multidrug-resistant bacteria. It's very much at an advanced research level at the moment, but in order to drive that, we need to know how big the problem is." | "I can conceive of techniques which may be able to make bacteria to kill these multidrug-resistant bacteria. It's very much at an advanced research level at the moment, but in order to drive that, we need to know how big the problem is." |
Dr Rossolini said that the use of carbapenem antibiotics to control high levels of ESBL in the Midlands could actually help KPC take hold in the region. | Dr Rossolini said that the use of carbapenem antibiotics to control high levels of ESBL in the Midlands could actually help KPC take hold in the region. |