|
Klebsiella blamed on equipment
07/07/2005 18:16 - (SA)
Durban - Contaminated intravenous equipment and poor infection-control measures were found to be the source of an outbreak of klebsiella pneumoniae which killed 21 babies in a KwaZulu-Natal hospital.
"Several flaws were identified" with infection control methods, according to a report released on Thursday and compiled by medical microbiologist Professor Willem Sturm of Nelson R Mandela school of medicine in Durban.
Releasing the report, Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang said an early-warning system and a rapid-response team would be developed.
Initial investigations at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital north of Durban found klebsiella pneumoniae on the hands of 10% of staff.
Interviews revealed that the nursery was usually overcrowded, under-equipped and understaffed, which worked against adherence to infection control.
Had regular intravenous injections
Early in the investigation, a link was found to the babies' intravenous treatment.
After other possibilities were ruled out, medication information for 17 of the babies showed they had received regular intravenous injections.
Unopened bottles did not grow the organism, indicating that contamination took place in the wards during handling of the bottles, and not at the production plant.
The formula feeds found in the wards, also contained several species of bacteria, amongst them klebsiella pneumoniae.
The report said that although certain laboratory information still was outstanding, findings pointed to an outbreak of klebsiella pneumoniae infection due to contamination of one of the intravenous medications.
Intravenous equipment was also found to be the source of a similar outbreak at which killed six babies at Bloemfontein's Pelonomi Hospital last year.
The spread was attributed to multiple use of units of the medication to save costs, inadequate hand-washing practices and inappropriate hand-washing facilities.
The basins which existed were found to be far from where the healthcare workers worked and they were also found to use too little hand wash and to not rub it in properly.
Recommendations included sealing off the nursery with strict hygiene controls and abandoning the practice of multiple use of units of intravenous preparations.
Continuous education suggested
Long sleeves on gowns, white coats and uniforms, or personal wear should be forbidden and rings and watches should not be worn on hands and wrists as these interfered with hand-washing.
Continuous education and training on infection prevention practices should be done province-wide and the infection control authority should be allowed to stop malpractice.
Separate disinfection and sluice rooms were also needed for the babies' equipment.
The report did not hold any single individual or particular section of the hospital community responsible for the outbreak.
- SAPA
|
News
