Eleven dead in Kiel clinic experts now help

Experts for multi-resistant germs help in Kiel clinic

01/26/2015

In at least eleven patients who died in Kiel University Hospital, multi-drug resistant bacteria were detected. In most of them, however, the bacterium has now been ruled out as a cause of death. In the fight against the dangerous pathogens, Schleswig-Holsteiners are getting help from Frankfurt.

Kielers receive support from Frankfurt
The University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH) in Kiel now receives support from experts from Frankfurt in the fight against a dangerous multidrug-resistant germ. As the news agency dpa reports, a spokesperson for the UKSH said that these specialists are in the area of ​​the relevant multi-drug resistant germ. In addition, the hospital wants to inform during the day on the state of development.

Bacterium excluded as a cause of death
A few days ago, it had become known that eleven patients who died in the Kiel clinic also carried the germ in addition to their sometimes serious illnesses. In the meantime nine of them have clearly excluded the bacterium as a cause of death. In the other two patients (70 and 87 years old), the cause of death could not be clarified beyond doubt. According to the information, the eleven patients died between 21 December and 20 January.

Number of germ carriers could still increase
It was also reported that 27 patients (as of Saturday evening) were tested positively for the bacterium Acinetobacter baumannii, which is resistant to almost all antibiotics. The victims are between 27 and 88 years old. But not all of them are ill. „The germ is not the leading disease in the patients“, explained the head of the University Hospital, Jens Scholz. According to the hospital, it is largely harmless for healthy people. It is said that the number of germ carriers could increase in the coming days.

Multi-resistant germs brought by long-distance travel
As already reported on the weekend, was the first patient in which the germ was detected, a 1940 born German tourist who came from Turkey. Since the man did not show typical symptoms, no special study was done for germs. The German Foundation for Patient Protection practiced massive criticism of the clinic's approach. Researchers have recently pointed out how dangerous it can be when travelers bring in multidrug-resistant bacteria. According to a study by microbiologists of the Leipzig University Hospital, one-third of all long-distance travelers in risk areas bring unnoticed dangerous bacteria, against which hardly any antibiotics work, home. (Ad)

Image: Sebastian Karkus