Thirty-one patients have been affected by a bacterial outbreak known as Klebsiella pneumoniae at Virginia Mason Franciscan Health in Seattle, Washington.
It has been claimed that four of the 31 patients have passed away, although Public Health – Seattle & King County officials have not yet proven that the illnesses were a contributing role in their demise.
CDC warns of Klebsiella pneumoniae infections
Klebsiella pneumoniae has been identified as a bacterium. The hospital initially reported the epidemic in October 2022 and has since released numerous updates, the most recent of which was on April 25.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Klebsiella bacteria are typically found in people’s intestines and do not cause sickness (CDC).
However, patients receiving treatment for other conditions in healthcare facilities like hospitals are susceptible to developing a Klebsiella infection.
Most at risk are people who utilize equipment like ventilators and catheters.
According to the United States, Klebsiella is the most frequent cause of hospital-acquired pneumonia. Additionally, it is the cause of 11.8% of all hospital-acquired pneumonia cases worldwide.
The patients who contracted the illnesses at VMMC were hospitalized in a variety of settings, including the ICU, operating room, and inpatient medical beds.
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Transmission in Seattle Hospital Still a Mystery
Even though the precise source of the transmission is still being looked into, according to Dr. Eric Chow, director of infectious disease epidemiology and vaccination at the public health agency for Seattle and King County, it may never be discovered. The doctor said that these outbreaks are complicated in nature.
According to Sharon Bogan, the department’s Public Health spokesman, “because of the medical intricacy of these situations, there may be several plausible reasons of death for those who died after the Klebsiella infection was detected.”
VMMC quickly responded to the diseases and has since implemented precautions to stop the spread of infections.
It involves actions like improving their infection prevention methods and environmental sampling.
Patients who believe they are infected have been advised by the hospital to get in touch with their doctor and get tested for the bacterium.
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