UL Hospitals Group Admits To Continuing High Instance Of Hospital Infection

The UL Hospitals Group has admitted that there continues to be a high incidence of a potentially serious infection in hospitals in the MidWest.

While progress has been made in tackling other types of infection, the group’s Annual Report for 2016 has flagged issues with one such bug.

Clare FM’s James Mulhall reports:

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62 cases of Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamases or ESBL were recorded in the region last year, an increase of 29% in the previous year.

ESBL infections are often difficult to treat and while the bacteria often live harmlessly in the bowel, it can lead to kidney or blood infections in some patients.

It is also difficult to treat when this occurs.

The number of cases of the serious CPE infection halved last year, though the rate of MRSA across the hospital group was above national targets.