Quebec hospitals are in the news again with hospital-acquired infections being blamed on the aging infrastructure of hospital buildings.
The aging infractructure of Quebec hospital buildings that was reportedly responsible for outbreaks of Clostridium difficile are now being blamed for the deaths of 4 premature infants in 2004-2005.
An article in the Canadian Press on April 27, 2007 reported that the illnesses of some 50 premature babies, including 4 deaths at Ste. Justine Hospital in Montreal resulted from pseudomonas infection in tap water.
Pseudomonas is a common bacteria found in tap water and may cause infection in individuals with weakened or underdeveloped immune systems. It is virtually impossible to eliminate pseudomonas and other environmental bacteria from tap water and most people are not adversely affected by these organisms. Ste. Justine Hospital has stopped using tap water in its pre-natal intensive care unit: sterile water is now being used.
Although pseudomonas is found in most tap water, it was suggested that aging plumbing may be responsible for higher numbers of contaminating bacteria in tap water at Ste. Justine Hospital. The hospital is replacing its aging pipes and is building a new pre-natal intensive care unit.
Related content:
C. difficile associated disease
C. difficile associated disease
Source:
