Contaminated IV bags of liquid nutrition linked to 9 deaths in Alabama
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA -- Nineteen hospital patients in Alabama contracted a bacterial infection – serratia marcescens, linked to contaminated intravenous feeding bags. Alabama state health official Donald Williamson said 9 of the 19 patients have since died and investigations are underway to determine the role of the bacterial infection in those deaths.
Since patients receiving TPN nutrition supplement are usually in serious or fragile condition the introduction of bacteria such as serratia marcescens could prove lethal. The Birmingham-based Meds IV is noted as manufacturing the bags. The company, according to Williamson, has notified its customers of the contamination, and production of the nutrition supplements in the bags has been discontinued.
Hospitals in the Birmingham and Montgomery area hit by the outbreak include: Select Specialty Hospital, Baptist Princeton, Baptist Shelby, Baptist Prattville, Medical West and Cooper Green.
The Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, and the Food and Drug Administration are said to be investigating this incident.
~ R. Radliff
Content source: CNN - March 30, 2011 – “Nine die due to contaminated IV bags”