Drug-resistant bacteria kills two patients at Chicago hospital

The two elderly patients arrived critically ill.  Both came from nursing homes and both had a drug-resistant bacteria in their system when they died in intensive care.

Elise Hernandez, an infection control clinician at the hospital, says “there are organism that exists that could be available in a healthy person, however if a person is extremely ill like the ICU patients, and they come in contact with that organism, they will get infected.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the bacteria is Acinetobacter, an infection that can spread person-to-person or by contact with contaiminated surfaces.

Hospital CEO Anthony Puorro says “the hospital is taking every precaution to isolate the microorganism, to contain it, and to work effectively with the Chicago Public Health Department to develop a plan which was executed so that it would be a safe environment as we deliver care to our patients.“

Five other patients in the ICU have also tested positive.  Visitors are required to wear protective gowns, masks, and gloves.  The staff is scrubbing surfaces to kill germs but the hospital says the infected patients are responding well to treatment.

Elise Hernandez says “one of them will probably be discharged tomorrow and we expect the rest to be discharged by the end of this week.“