Bolton hospital battles to stamp out superbug
A DEADLY superbug which has been found at the Royal Bolton Hospital and at hospitals across he country, is showing no signs of becoming resistant to drugs.
Doctors studying the genetic code of the bug, commonly known as Steno, which causes blood poisoning, are worried about its ability to shrug off antibiotics.
Nationally, there were 1,000 cases of blood poisoning caused by Steno and a third of them were fatal.
Steno flourishes in moist environments. It can stick to catheters or ventilator tubes and it breeds in areas around taps and shower heads.
Between April, 2007, and April, 2008, 35 patients at the Royal Bolton Hospital were found to be carrying the organism.
In the same period the year before, 27 patients had it - but the majority of cases did not lead to infections.
Dr Matthew Avison, from the University of Bristol, who has helped with national research, said: "Steno is the latest in an ever-increasing list of antibiotic-resistant hospital superbugs. The degree of resistance it shows is very worrying."
Bosses at the Royal Bolton Hospital insist that work is already being done to ensure superbugs are kept at bay.
Dr Azhar Iqbal, a consultant microbiologist, said: "Out of the thousands of patients who come to the hospital each year only a very, very few are found to have this organism.
"The report is interesting, however, and it backs the importance of work that we are already doing around the prevention and control of infections in the hospital."
1:52pm Friday 9th May 2008
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