6 December 2007
The Department of Health opposes reports that a sixth baby subsequently died
of klebsiella pneumoniaie at Prince Mshiyeni Memmorial Hospital last weekend.
According to some media reports a sixth baby demised of klebsiella pneumoniaie
at the hospital on Sunday. They are not true and have caused unnecessary
confusion.
It is necessary that we set the record straight once and for all. We can
confirm that the demised baby was one of two babies that were suspected to have
contracted the klebsiella pneumoniaie bacteria after five babies had already
demised of klebsiella pneumoniaie. The two babies were tested for the
klebsiella pneumoniaie and given medical treatment.
Subsequent blood cultures from the babies were negative indicating that the
infection was cleared. This baby died six days after her blood culture become
positive. A blood culture taken after appropriate treatment was negative. This
baby therefore did not die from klebsiella pneumoniae infection.
The baby was born 12 weeks prematurely at home to an unbooked teenage mother
and weighed only 1,1 kilogram (very low birth weight). At birth, the baby was
found to have contracted an intrapartum infection (i.e. whilst in the mother's
uterus) with Group B streptococci. She was treated for this infection. In
addition she had much other comorbidities including a grade II intraventricular
haemorrhage (brain haemorrhage) and a patent ductus arteriosis (hole in the
heart) which led to cardiac failure.
The ultimate cause of death in this baby was not from klebsiella pneumoniaie
infection. The three surviving babies are now doing well and are still being
observed in hospital while they put on weight.
There have been no further blood cultures with klebsiella pneumoniaie and
the outbreak has been contained and is officially over. The number of deaths
linked to this outbreak remains at five.
So, there can be no conclusive evidence linking the death of the baby to
kebsiella pneumoniaie
Enquiries:
Leon Mbangwa
KwaZulu-Natal Health Spokesperson
Cell: 083 459 8695
Issued by: Department of Health, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
6 December 2007
Source: KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government (http://www.kwazulunatal.gov.za)
