Alabama: 2 hospital patients die after bacterial infection

[tetano]

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- University of Alabama Hospital officials say two of eight patients who recently tested positive for an infectious bacterial disease have died.

Officials said Tuesday that the patient who tested positive for the infection were in the hematology-oncology unit in the Women and Infant building.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, legionella is a form of pneumonia and bacteria that cause the illness typically travel by water.

Hospital officials say the official causes of the patients' deaths haven't been determined.

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http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/27/6436511/2-hospital-patients-die-after.html

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Alabama: 2 hospital patients die after bacterial infection

Source: http://blog.al.com/wire/2014/05/uab_hospital_didnt_properly_re.html#incart_m-rpt-2

UAB Hospital waited too long to report legionella outbreak leaving 2 dead, 7 infected, state officials say
Mike Oliver |
on May 28, 2014 at 6:36 PM, updated May 29, 2014 at 11:20 AM


BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- UAB Hospital did not notify state health officials soon enough in a deadly legionella outbreak in one of its units -- and it should have, said the assistant state health officer.

"The reality is that we are working with them where issues occurred and making sure it doesn't happen again," said Dr. Mary McIntyre, assistant state health officer.

The state and county health department found out about the legionella on May 19 through the lab UAB used for testing, she said. UAB already knew about the cluster of cases, and from May 7 to May 9 had already treated the water system which was the culprit in spawning the deadly bacteria in the hematology/oncology unit with cancer patients especially susceptible to the bacteria...