Hospital unit reopens post bug death
Updated on 07 January 2009
An intensive care unit was open again after a bug that has already killed one baby and caused staff to isolate six more hit a hospital's neo-natal ward.
The victim, born prematurely at Birmingham's Heartlands Hospital almost two weeks ago, was one of two babies to become infected with Serratia bacteria.
Staff at the hospital in Bordesley Green said the second baby infected was "doing very well" and will be able to go home in the next two to three weeks.
Five more babies, who tested positive for Serratia on their skin, also remain in the six-cot isolation unit as a precaution to prevent spreading, a hospital spokeswoman said, adding that the outbreak has been "successfully controlled".
The intensive care part of Heartlands' neo-natal unit reopened on Tuesday afternoon after being temporarily closed to new admissions.
The baby's death was recorded on the death certificate as "natural causes", and the matter will not be investigated by the coroner, hospital staff confirmed.
While Serratia can cause various infections, pneumonia and blood poisoning in people with a weakened immune system, such as hospital patients, treatment is not usually necessary if a person is carrying the bacteria but not infected with Serratia, according to the Health Protection Agency (HPA).
Heartlands Hospital director Lisa Dunn said: "Two extremely pre-term babies were infected with the bacteria: very sadly, one baby died. The second baby is doing very well and should be going home in a few weeks.
"Serratia is an organism which has appeared in neonatal units across the NHS from time to time.
"It can be controlled by putting in place special arrangements to prevent spread of infection."
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