Hospital "super super bug" stronger than MRSA

Dec 11 2005

According to reports eleven patients at a British hospital have acquired a superbug said to be stronger than MRSA.

The bug known as gentamicin resistant MRSA, does not react to standard drugs used to treat the bacteria and apparently causes blood poisoning and chest infections.

Walsgrave hospital in Coventry says it is not aware of any deaths associated with the strain which was first identified during routine screening in June.

A hospital microbiologist has said the strain is particularly recognisable because of its very resistant sensitivity pattern.

The super strain has apparently occurred in two intensive care units, and in a high dependency unit.

Five incidents have occurred in just 10 days between August and September, while eight were likely to have been acquired in the hospital.

As well as gentamicin, a frontline antibiotic in the treatment of MRSA, the strain is also resistant to mupirocin, fucidin, rifampicin.

The medical director for the hospital Martin Lee, says the hospital is one of the 10 most improved centres in fighting hospital acquired infections.

He says one patient in intensive care was identified as having the resistant strain of MRSA during routine screening, and when further tests were carried out, nine other patients were also found with it on their skin.

Lee says that since then there has only been one other isolated case and no higher rate of complication has been identified of gentamicin resistant MRSA.

Also no other patients were identified as having this form of MRSA on wards where these patients were transferred to.