4 more babies hit by killer bacteria

FOUR more babies have contracted the deadly enterobacter illness on the neonatal ward of the San Fernando General Hospital, bringing the number of newborns hit by the disease to seven. In confirming this yesterday, acting Medical Chief of Staff of the San Fernando General Hospital, Dr Colin Furlonge, has instituted stringent measures to avoid spread of the bacteria-transmitted illness to other babies on the ward. Furlonge said the affected babies, who are approximately 28 days old, were removed from the general nursery area of the neonatal ward yesterday.

They were isolated and have been attended to by specialised nurses. Three babies were suspected of having contracted the enterobacter illness on Wednesday. Newsday was informed that tissue samples from the babies have been sent to the government laboratory in Port-of-Spain, for analysis. The hospital has yet to receive a conclusive report on the diagnosis. Furlonge expressed the view yesterday there was no need for alarm about the enterobacter illness as such infection was not uncommon in an overcrowded hospital.

Dr Kerryn Brahim, consultant neonatologist on the ward, is managing care of the babies with four specialist nurses. Enterobacter is a hospital-acquired infection commonly seen in patients in intensive care units due to their weakened physical condition or immuno-suppressive therapy and because they are exposed to invasive procedures. Poor infection control, contaminated albumin concentrates, and prefilled saline syringes are also causes of enterobacter.