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| Hospital superbug deaths reviewed | Hospital superbug deaths reviewed |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| An inquiry into a fatal outbreak of the superbug Clostridium difficile at Prince Charles Hospital, Merthyr Tydfil, is to report its findings. | An inquiry into a fatal outbreak of the superbug Clostridium difficile at Prince Charles Hospital, Merthyr Tydfil, is to report its findings. |
| Three people died and a total of 37 were infected in the outbreak in March and April 2008. | Three people died and a total of 37 were infected in the outbreak in March and April 2008. |
| Health Minister Edwina Hart ordered Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW) to review how the former North Glamorgan NHS Trust managed the outbreak. | |
| The review is expected to identify what lessons can be learnt. | The review is expected to identify what lessons can be learnt. |
| In addition to the three patients who died directly as a result of the bacterium, the superbug was also listed on the death certificates of four others. | In addition to the three patients who died directly as a result of the bacterium, the superbug was also listed on the death certificates of four others. |
| Cwm Taf NHS Trust, the successor organisation to North Glamorgan NHS Trust, which was responsible for the hospital at the time of the outbreak, said a "deep clean" of the hospital was carried as part of the infection control response. | Cwm Taf NHS Trust, the successor organisation to North Glamorgan NHS Trust, which was responsible for the hospital at the time of the outbreak, said a "deep clean" of the hospital was carried as part of the infection control response. |
| Infection control | Infection control |
| The HIW review is expected to recognise that a number of factors contributed to the outbreak but the hospital trust took effective steps to deal with it. | The HIW review is expected to recognise that a number of factors contributed to the outbreak but the hospital trust took effective steps to deal with it. |
| Staff were working to minimise the outbreak with daily meetings to monitor and manage its control and to ensure patients with Clostridium difficile were appropriately isolated to minimise the potential transmission of infection. | Staff were working to minimise the outbreak with daily meetings to monitor and manage its control and to ensure patients with Clostridium difficile were appropriately isolated to minimise the potential transmission of infection. |
| However, the report is expected to identify a number of areas which required improvement, including greater consideration to the use of appropriate antibiotics, affected wards remaining closed for longer and further restrictions on the movement of patients. | However, the report is expected to identify a number of areas which required improvement, including greater consideration to the use of appropriate antibiotics, affected wards remaining closed for longer and further restrictions on the movement of patients. |
| The report will also examine staff shortages and infection control training for staff. | The report will also examine staff shortages and infection control training for staff. |
| Bacteria | Bacteria |
| C. difficile is a bacterium found in the gut, and in healthy adults and children it rarely causes problems. | C. difficile is a bacterium found in the gut, and in healthy adults and children it rarely causes problems. |
| But people over the age of 65 years are more susceptible to contracting infection, particularly if they are on antibiotics which disrupt the "normal" bacteria in the gut. | But people over the age of 65 years are more susceptible to contracting infection, particularly if they are on antibiotics which disrupt the "normal" bacteria in the gut. |
| Symptoms range from mild diarrhoea to severe inflammation of the bowel, which can occasionally be fatal. | Symptoms range from mild diarrhoea to severe inflammation of the bowel, which can occasionally be fatal. |