Third premature baby dies following infection at Glasgow hospital

A third premature baby has died at the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital in Glasgow after an infection was found at a neonatal unit.

An incident management team (IMT) was set up earlier this year to investigate three cases of the Staphylococcus aureus blood stream infection following the deaths of two premature babies.

An IMT comprises specialist clinicians, infection control doctors and nurses, occupational health clinicians and colleagues from estates and facilities.

The third baby has not been identified, although the health board confirmed that Staphylococcus aureus infection was a contributing factor in the death.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board said: "As previously reported, we have been rigorously managing a number of cases of a rare Staphylococcus aureus blood stream infection in extremely premature babies in the neonatal unit of the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital.

"Three babies, who were extremely poorly due to their very early birth, sadly died and infection was one of a number of contributing causes in their deaths.

"Since early March, no further patients have tested positive for the Staphylococcus aureus infection.

"A programme of staff and family screening was carried out, as has been previously reported. This was one of a number of steps taken to respond to this strain of Staphyloccocus aureus.

"As this was an extremely rare strain which is highly resistant to the two antibiotics normally prescribed for S. Aureus and the skin cleaning agent routinely used in hospitals across the UK, we put in place a number of further infection control measures, including the prescribing of different antibiotics and the introduction of a new skin cleaning agent.'