Eight deaths linked to superbug outbreak in North

EIGHT MORE patients have died amid an ongoing hospital bug outbreak in Northern Ireland.

The number of people whose deaths have been linked to the C difficile infection in the Northern Trust area since late last year is now over 60. However, the trust said of the eight deaths in July, seven were caused by an underlying medical condition and not specifically by the bug.

Three patients died after their conditions relapsed, while a further three had contracted the infection before they came to hospital.

The trust said the number of new cases of C diff infection in July was 19 - down four on the previous month.

Dr Peter Flanagan, medical director at the trust, said that the use of powerful antibiotics often had the side effect of increasing the rate of C diff infection.

"Medical staff are increasingly managing complex, often multiple, serious and chronic medical conditions. Modern antibiotics are very effective in treating many of these . . . however, we have to balance prescribing with our understanding of the possible effects of long-term antibiotic use and the links with acquired infections such as C difficile."

The Belfast Health and Social Care Trust said the number of cases in Belfast hospitals increased from 22 in June to 58 in July - 47 of them among the most susceptible over-65 age group.

However, a spokeswoman for the trust, which covers the Belfast City Hospital, Musgrave Park, Mater and Royal Group, said there were no known deaths attributed to the bug. - (PA)

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times