Published Date: 2005-06-30 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/EDR> Clostridium difficile, increased virulence - UK (England)(05)
Archive Number: 20050630.1843

CLOSTRIDIUM DIFFICILE, INCREASED VIRULENCE - UK (ENGLAND) (05)
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Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: The Guardian [edited]
<http://politics.guardian.co.uk/publicservices/story/0,11032,1518168,00.html>


15 hospitals hit by Clostridium difficile
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15 hospitals have been hit by outbreaks of the new strain of
_Clostridium difficile_ which has so far contributed to 25 deaths,
ministers have admitted. So far there have been 75 cases confirmed by
scientists at the specialist laboratory in Cardiff -- the only one in
the UK equipped to analyse the new strain -- health minister Jane
Kennedy said yesterday, 29 Jun 2005.

The statistics reveal the outbreak of the new strain, which last week
was confirmed at a 2nd hospital in the UK, is much wider than
originally believed. Hospitals where the strain has appeared are in:
Preston, Birmingham, Winchester, Bristol, Romford, Southampton,
Truro, Carshalton, High Wycombe South Tyneside, Newcastle, South
Tees, Sunderland, Stoke Mandeville and Exeter.

The figures were revealed in a written answer to the Conservative MP
for Aylesbury, David Lidington, whose constituency includes Stoke
Mandeville hospital where the 1st outbreak was discovered earlier in
Jun 2005.

Following the written answers, he has today written again to the
minister seeking reassurance that a single laboratory can cope with
the outbreak of the new 027 strain and [inquiring] whether all
suspected cases of _C. difficile_ are being sent to Cardiff or just a
sample of cases.

All 75 known cases of _C. difficile_ 027 have occurred since 1999,
the Department of Health said this morning, 30 Jun 2005. A spokesman
said: "This figure has to be put in the historical context - it
refers to all the cases that we have ever come across and goes back
to 1999."

The department rejected the suggestion that the laboratory at Cardiff
was unable to cope with the present or any increased demand in the
future.

[Byline: Debbie Andalo]

--
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

[Not surprisingly, this ribotype 027 hypertoxin-producer continues to
spread. It is not clear if, aside from the increased amount of toxin
production, the organism is less sensitive to metronidazole or
vancomycin. - Mod.LL]

See Also

Clostridium difficile, increased virulence - UK (England) (04) 20050626.1794
Clostridium difficile, increased virulence - UK (England) (03) 20050624.1772
Clostridium difficile, increased virulence - UK (England)(02) 20050607.1582
Clostridium difficile, increased virulence - UK (England) 20050606.1572
Clostridium difficile, increased virulence, 2004 - USA, Canada 20050412.1055
2004
----
Clostridium difficile, increased virulence - USA 20041004.2735
Clostridium difficile, fatal - Canada (QC) 20040808.2191
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