Coroner seeks action over 'superbug' incidence in Dublin

Link: ireland.com - The Irish Times - Fri, Apr 25, 2008 - Coroner seeks action over 'superbug' incidence.

THE DUBLIN county coroner is to write to HSE chief executive Brendan Drumm requesting the prompt appointment of a microbiologist at a Dublin hospital following a high incidence of "superbug" related deaths at the facility. GEORGINA O'HALLORAN reports. Dr Kieran Geraghty has called for urgent intervention at St Columcille's Hospital, Loughlinstown, following the death of 16 people with hospital-acquired infections at the south Dublin hospital over a seven-month period in 2007. Of the 16 deaths, 10 cases relate to Clostridium difficile , commonly known as C diff. In five of those cases, C diff infection was the direct cause of death, with the infection cited as a contributory factor in a further five deaths, according to statistics released by the Dublin county coroner's office. Six deaths were related to the hospital bug MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ) and in half of those cases MRSA was cited as the direct cause of death. The bug played a contributory part in another three deaths.