Third premature baby dies from ‘rare’ blood infection at neo-natal unit in Glasgow

Third premature baby dies from ‘rare’ blood infection in space of four months after outbreak at neo-natal unit in Glasgow maternity hospital

  • Two other premature babies died from rare blood infection earlier this year
  • Incident management team (IMT) set up earlier this year to investigate cases
  • Third baby not identified, but staphylococcus aureus infection a factor in death

A third premature baby has died from a rare blood infection at a hospital in Glasgow.

The baby died at the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital, where two other premature babies also lost their lives earlier this year.

The third baby has not been identified, although the health board confirmed that Staphylococcus aureus infection was a contributing factor in the death.

An incident management team (IMT) was set up earlier this year to investigate three cases of the Staphylococcus aureus blood stream infection following the deaths of two premature babies.

The baby died at the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital, where two other premature babies also lost their lives earlier this year from a rare blood infection

An IMT comprises specialist clinicians, infection control doctors and nurses, occupational health clinicians and colleagues from estates and facilities. 

The NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board confirmed that Staphylococcus aureus infection was a contributing factor in the deaths of the three premature babies.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board said: ‘As previously reported, we have been rigorously managing a number of cases of a rare Staphylococcus aureus blood stream infection in extremely premature babies in the neonatal unit of the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital.

‘Three babies, who were extremely poorly due to their very early birth, sadly died and infection was one of a number of contributing causes in their deaths.

‘Since early March, no further patients have tested positive for the Staphylococcus aureus infection.

‘A programme of staff and family screening was carried out, as has been previously reported. 

‘This was one of a number of steps taken to respond to this strain of Staphyloccocus aureus.

‘As this was an extremely rare strain which is highly resistant to the two antibiotics normally prescribed for S. 

‘Aureus and the skin cleaning agent routinely used in hospitals across the UK, we put in place a number of further infection control measures, including the prescribing of different antibiotics and the introduction of a new skin cleaning agent.’

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