Two Chicago Hospital Patients Die from Bacteria Infections
In Chicago, two Roseland Community Hospital intensive care patients died after becoming infected with acinetobacter, a bacterium that sometimes can be found in ICU’s. The two victims, who lived at the same Chicago nursing home, were both elderly and had a number of serious medical conditions. It is unclear whether the bacterial infection contributed to their deaths.
The outbreak, however, did infect 7 out of 10 patients at the intensive-care unit before it was contained. Officials at the Roseland Community Hospital and at the Chicago Department of Public Health are conducting an investigation to determine how to prevent future outbreaks.
According to Tim Hadac, the department’s spokesperson, acinetobacter infections are not uncommon in healthcare settings because it is a common bacterium known to appear around people with compromised immune systems—especially in places where there are very sick patients. Acinetobacter can be spread through contaminated surfaces, environmental exposures, and person-to-person contact. It can also be found on people’s skin and in soil and water.
Dr. Brad Spellberg, who is a member of the Antimicrobial Availability Task Force of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, says that Acinetobacter, which reportedly can become resistant to every existing antibiotic, is a growing problem in US hospitals.
Acinetobacter
While Acinetobacter does not pose a serious health risk to healthy people, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that an infection can lead to serious health complications for people who have weakened immune systems, chronic lung disease, diabetes, are on a ventilator, have open wounds, or are staying in hospitals for extended periods of time. An acinetobacter infection can lead to serious wound or blood infections, pneumonia, and may become a cause or death.
Chicago hospitals are supposed to make sure that hospitals are clean and sanitary and that there are no conditions at the facility that could cause a patient's health to deteriorate. Failure to exercise this duty of care could be grounds for a Chicago personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit.
2 Chicago hospital patients with bacterial infections die, Chicago Tribune, March 3, 2009
Overview of Drug-resistant Acinetobacter Infections in Healthcare Settings, CDC
Related Web Resources:
Roseland Community Hospital
Chicago Department of Public Health
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