Four more test positive for deadly flesh eating bug in NZ hospital

Oct 17 2006

Four more cases of a deadly bug which has already killed three people since September 29 people, have been discovered in a New Zealand hospital.

As many as 60 staff and patients at Christchurch's Princess Margaret Hospital have been tested for streptococcal A after three elderly patients died as a result of a virulent strain of the bacteria.

According to Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB), in at least one of the fatal cases, the infection had transformed into necrotising fasciitis, an aggressive bug that destroys skin and muscle, and leads to blood poisoning and organ failure.

The ward has been closed to new admissions since Friday when the third death occurred.

The four new cases whose throat swabs tested positive for strep A, are being treated with antibiotics and are not expected to fall ill.

It is not known whether they are patients or staff.

Necrotising fasciitis causes painful blisters which spread over the body and it is crucial all affected flesh is removed to halt the spread of the bacteria; sometimes amputation is necessary to save a patient's life.

The disease is easily contacted and can be passed from an opening in the skin as small as a pinprick.

A hospital official has said that one of the biggest concerns for staff had been those patients who had open wounds, but none of the tests from these patients had come back positive for strep A.

It seems the three victims of the bug had died in completely different clinical circumstances and until the third death there had been no suggestion of a link.

The hospital is confident that they have contained the virus but remains on an infection alert until the source of the virus is pinpointed.

The infection develops from the same bacteria that causes sore throats, but if left untreated can develop into a life threatening flesh-eating disease.