Doctor casts doubt on pigeon infection probe

A FORMER lead infection control doctor at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital has expressed doubt over an independent review into cryptococcus infections.

Dr Teresa Inkster was responsible for investigating cryptococcus infections of December 2018, bloodstream infections in 2018 and further infections of children with cancer in 2019.

The independent review’s report stated there was no clear link between cryptococcus infections found in two cancer patients who died and the presence of pigeons on the campus.

Dr Inkster has raised concerns about this conclusion and disputes the findings.

She said: “I can’t prove how it got from the pigeons to the patients. There are various hypotheses, one of which is the plant room. We also looked at the windows, but the windows seem to be adequately sealed.

“In infection control, when something happens, by the time it manifests in a patient and you get the test and you decide you’ve got a problem, weeks have passed.

“You never know what exactly took place, you can’t go back in time. It’s all about hypothesis and probability.

“That’s why people struggle with it.

“From my perspective the probability is that the pigeons are the source.”

A total of 23 children became infected with 11 different bugs between January and September 2018.

A spokeswoman for the QEUH Independent Review said: “We have concluded our work, and stand by the report.”

An NHSGGC spokesman said: “We continue to work with Professor Fiona McQueen and the members of the oversight board who have been reviewing the effectiveness of our infection prevention and control procedures, including the concerns Dr Inkster has raised.”