Killer water bug found in hospital
Experts accuse HSE of ignoring risk from 'rampant' Legionnaires
A CASE of the deadly Legionnaires' disease has been confirmed at St Vincent's Hospital, Mountmellick, Co Laois, which specialises in the care for the elderly.
The case involves a woman in her mid 30s, who is believed to be a member of the hospital's catering staff. It is believed that she was very ill in hospital for a number of weeks.
The outbreak is so alarming because the disease is particularly deadly for elderly patients -- however, this case involves a very healthy and active young woman.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) has confirmed the outbreak and said that an investigation is currently underway. The hospital's water system and pipes, as well as other people at the hospital, have been tested and the results are due back later this week.
A spokeswoman for the HSE said: "We don't know the results of the test yet but the woman has returned home. She has not returned to work as of yet. We are currently carrying out an investigation as to how this outbreak occurred both on the hospital's water system and a number of other people."
Legionella is a common bacteria that becomes harmful when it enters man-made water systems. Hospitals and nursing homes are perfect breeding grounds as their water systems maintain their hot water at the optimum temperatures for the multiplication of the bacteria.
This weekend, a number of leading infection control experts have heavily criticised the outbreak and slammed the HSE's record on tackling micro-biological diseases in hospitals.
They warned that half of Irish hospitals are currently infected with legionella, and are exposing their patients to it on a daily basis.
One top micro-biologist has said that the HSE is actively ignoring the problem in a number of the country's acute hospitals.
Officially, there were 13 cases reported last year but even the HSE said that is about one tenth of total suspected cases. However, experts have warned that the true numbers of people dying from Legionnaires' disease could be as high as 350.
Elderly and middle-aged men who smoke are the most vulnerable to the disease and according to experts
They have also said that hundreds of cases of Legionnaires' disease are being missed or not reported every year and have been highly critical of the HSE's attitude to the issue of infection control. They say that cases of Legionnaires' deaths are being reported as pneumonia-related, but that the underlying causes are not being reported.
Some experts have said that if the situation continues, Legionnaires' disease will become as big a killer as MRSA in Irish hospitals.
Prof David Coleman, of the Dublin Dental Hospital, is the foremost expert on legionella in Ireland and this weekend he spoke out.
"We are doing a lot better than we were, but we still have a long way to go," he said. "Hospitals aren't doing enough and some managers don't take this issue seriously, even with the problems of MRSA.
"They need to get their acts together -- many of them don't have an understanding of tackling infection."
Patients in hospitals are warned that showers are the foremost method of transmitting the infection and have been advised that the showers are flushed and cleaned before being used. They are also advised to be wary of how medical implements are washed before being used
"Unlike most other countries, we have no legislation governing the control of legionella -- and it is badly needed," said Prof Coleman.
In response, both the HSE and the Department of Health have said that legionella is a minor threat to patients and insist that steps are being taken to combat it.
A new National Infection Control Action Plan was just launched last March, and a steering committee was also set up to "reduce healthcare associated infections" in Irish hospitals.
