Infection kills fifth patient as hospitals investigated

● Casualty was seriously unwell with underlying condition, says health board

Bacterial infections have now claimed the lives of five patients in Scottish hospitals in just two months.

A patient has died in the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley after being struck by a bacterial strain also contracted by two others.

Investigations have now been launched into four separate infections across three hospitals.

Another patient who was being treated at a Scottish hospital has died after contracting a bacterial infection, the fifth such case since December.

The outbreak happened at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley, which is run by the same health board responsible for two other hospitals where other deaths occurred.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) said the patient had already been“seriously unwell” due to an underlying condition, with a bacterial infection one of a number of factors in their death.

They were infected with the bacteria Stenotrophomonas, which is found mostly in wet environments and can affect irrigation fluids used to wash out wounds or intravenous solutions.

The health board said two other patients were also found to have contracted the infection, with one recovering well and the other not needing any treatment.

Last week it emerged that two premature babies died after contracting a blood infection in the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital in Glasgow. In December, a tenyear-old boy and an adult died after becoming infected with Cryptococcus, an infection related to pigeon droppings, at the city’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

An NHSGGC spokeswoman said: “Our thoughts are with the family of the patient who has passed away.

“We closely monitor infection rates within our hospitals at all times.

“We have managed this situation fully in line with national guidance and it is this rigorous approach to infection control that identified and managed this effectively.

“Control measures were put in place immediately.

“Patients in the unit have been screened and tests have proved negative. There have been no further cases.

“Sadly a patient, who was seriously unwell from their underlying condition, has died and a bacterial infection was one of a number of contributory factors.

“A second patient has been treated and is recovering and a third patient has not required treatment and is stable from an unrelated condition.”

Health secretary Jeane Freeman said her thoughts and sympathies were with the families involved, adding that the hospital had carried out a deep clean and had put “additional control measures” in place.

“Health Protection Scotland are assured that the board have undertaken the appropriate investigation,” she added.

In response to claims that some of Scotland’s hospitals have not been inspected for up to ten years, Ms Freeman has said the inspections were not directed by the government. Scottish Labour’s health spokeswoman Monica Lennon said the news of another infection would be “extremely worrying” for patients around Scotland.

“The death of five patients and investigations into four separate infections across three hospitals in recent weeks is justifiably causing concern,” she said.

“The public need reassurances that the quality of infection control is not slipping.”