Germs on the preterm station of the HSK in Wiesbaden

Four premature babies in the Horst-Schmidt-Kliniken Wiesbaden infected with germs

04/17/2013

After detecting dangerous germs in the Horst-Schmidt-Kliniken (HSK) in Wiesbaden, the affected preemie station was closed for the time being. The „The station is closed until further notice, probably until at least the end of the week“, so the message of HSK. The individual rooms should now be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. The infected with Klebsiella pneumoniae children are in a stable condition.

The germ Klebsiella pneumoniae was detected in four infants at the preterm birth ward and at „another child is likely to be present“, reports the hospital. „The affected children were cohorted and isolated“, Two different care and medical teams care for the affected and unaffected children to avoid further contact transfers, according to the official HSK statement. Klebsiella pneumoniae are intestinal germs that do not normally pose any particular health risk. However, if the immune system is weakened or - as in premature babies - not yet fully developed, pneumonia and severe inflammation of the urinary tract are at risk. In the worst case, the infections can be fatal.

Condition of the children so far stable
According to the announcement of the hospital, it is with the proven „Klebsiell to ESBL-Bildner with almost identical antibiogram, so that can not be ruled out that it is the same pathogen.“ This comes with high probability of the relatives of one of the affected children. The bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae was probably transmitted by the mother of a child, said director of the Children's Hospital at a convened press conference. For the first time, the intestinal germ was therefore already detected in January, but could no longer be detected later. Now the Klebsiella reappeared on the weekend with the originally infested child and with other premature babies. Fortunately, the condition of the children is fortunately stable.

Comprehensive measures to eliminate germs initiated
The Horst Schmidt clinics have immediately after the detection of the germs informed the health department in Wiesbaden and initiated more far-reaching countermeasures. Since yesterday the station is closed and „The individual rooms will be vacated if children are tested negative and stable enough to be transferred to other stations“, so the message of HSK. Comprehensive hygienic measures were initiated, with the clinic staff being trained by the expert Prof. Dr. med. Eikmann, Head of Hygiene and Environmental Medicine at the University Hospital Giessen. After the basic cleaning and disinfection of the rooms, they must be approved by the hygiene-commissioned doctors before they can be re-occupied. The physicians also hope through a so-called ESBL screening investigation to gain more insight into the germs. Environmental investigations should also bring further information about possible sources of infection.

Germs on premature wards are a recurrent problem
Again and again, germs at premature wards have caused tragic deaths in the past, for example, the Bremen-Mitte hospital had to struggle for months with multidrug-resistant germs on the preemie ward last year. The problem is also known in other hospitals. Praiseworthy in the current case in addition to the comprehensive countermeasures taken in particular the comprehensive information of the public and the personal contact of the parents, to inform them about the outbreak and the closure of the station and the discussed further action. The clinic management has also shown that it is responsible, according to local politicians. (Fp)

Image: Sebastian Karkus