Raigmore suffers its third superbug outbreak this year, with intensive care unit shut down

A NEW superbug has struck three patients at flagship hospital of the Highlands – the third outbreak this year.

Routine testing in the intensive care unit (ICU) at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness identified the bacterium Pseudonas aeruginosa – a strain of which killed four babies in Belfast and Londonderry last year.

The department had to be closed for three days over the weekend so it could be cleaned.

Patients and staff had to be moved to another part of the building, but the unit reopened yesterday.

A spokeswoman for NHS Highland said: “The clinical condition of the patients was not affected and they have all been discharged from hospital.”

The latest scare follows the closure of two wards in January, when eight patients were diagnosed with the Clostridium difficile bug.

There was a second serious outbreak of C diff in March and one ward was closed.

Last month, three wards at the hospital were closed due to norovirus, commonly known as the winter vomiting bug, struck the hospital.

During the latest outbreak the ICU was closed ‘as a precaution’.

The spokesman said: “The Infection Control and Prevention Team advised that the unit needed to be temporarily closed to allow a thorough and rapid cleaning process.

By far the most effective way of cleaning the hospital environment is to use hydrogen peroxide.

However, to use this agent for cleaning, it has to be done without any staff or patients in the area.

Ron Coggins, clinical director for the surgical services division, said: “Patients who were in ICU were transferred to the theatre recovery area. In effect, the care which is provided in ICU ran as normal, but in a different location.

“There was no disruption to surgical services over the weekend.”

Dr Emma Watson, lead doctor in infection control, said: “We are continuing to carry out our investigations which form part of our routine plans for responding to situations likes this.

“So far, we have no evidence that the clinical condition of any patients have been affected.”

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a tough bacterial strain, able to survive in harsh environments, and it is found widely in soil and stagnant water.

It does not usually cause illness in healthy people, but can cause serious infection when normal defences are weakened.

ALISTAIR MUNRO