Hospital bug C diff found 'in 30 cases since deadly outbreak'

Published on Wednesday 20 May 2009 19:01

ALMOST 30 cases of Clostridium difficile spreading among hospital patients have been reported in Scotland since the deadly outbreak at the Vale of Leven Hospital a year ago.

Since last May, 26 outbreaks of the hospital acquired infection have been recorded in Scotland, involving 140 patients. Of these, 19 people died with C difficile as either the main cause or a contributory factor.

Last year it emerged that the deaths of 18 patients at the hospital in Dunbartonshire were linked to C difficile.

The Scottish Government has bowed to pressure to hold a public inquiry into the outbreak. Families of victims and opposition parties now want this to cover other hospitals.

Dr Gray's Hospital in Elgin is dealing with an outbreak, so far affecting 17 patients.

The figures were obtained in a Scottish Parliament written answer to a question by Jackie Baillie, the Labour MSP for Dumbarton.

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said 26 "incidents" of C difficile had been recorded since last May. An incident was defined as where there were two or more linked cases of the same strain of C difficile in the same clinical area. It could also be where the number of infections was higher than expected.

NHS Ayrshire and Arran had the highest number of C difficile outbreaks at 14 since last May.

Across Scotland, C difficile was the primary cause of death in four patients included in the outbreaks; in 15 it contributed.