Five superbug babies 'doing well'

13 April 2012

Five babies carrying a superbug which is thought to have contributed to the death of a premature baby boy were said today to be "doing well."

The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital confirmed yesterday that a baby boy and a parent of one of five baby girls previously diagnosed with PVL (Panton-Valentine Leukocidin) were also carrying the infection.

A hospital spokeswoman said today that the baby boy had been discharged following treatment. The baby girls remain in hospital where they are said to be "doing well and responding to treatment."

"The baby girls are still on the unit because they are premature babies," the spokeswoman added.

"They are not suffering any symptoms caused by PVL because they are carrying the infection and are not actually infected with it."

Yesterday, the parents of a baby boy who died after contracting PVL on the hospital's neonatal unit spoke of their heartache.

Karlene and Ian Randall, from Dereham, Norfolk, have demanded answers following the death of their son Alfie, who was born 13 weeks early and died after seven days.

"Every day without answers makes his death harder to take," Mrs Randall, 20, told The Mirror.

"He was only 2lb 7oz but he was a beautiful little boy.

"The doctors were so happy with him that at three days he was taken off his antibiotic drip and respirator and he was taking his full quota of milk."

Following the birth, the couple, who have two daughters Satina, two, and Aleisha, one, were told their son was doing well.

But six days after he was born, they were stunned to learn he was gravely ill. He was given drugs to fight the infection, but failed to respond and the couple were advised to have him christened.

"One minute we were told Alfie was fine and could come off his medication, the next we were switching off his life support," Mrs Randall said.

The couple buried their son four days before Christmas.

A hospital spokeswoman said it had gone to great lengths to keep the family informed. "We are keeping an open dialogue with the family," she added.

The spokeswoman said the latest baby to be diagnosed as carrying the bug had been on the same unit as the other babies, which were all born prematurely.

The baby boy was diagnosed with PVL after being brought back to the hospital for screening.

"All these babies are vulnerable because they were born prematurely, but they are responding to treatment," the spokeswoman said.

"The infection is not in their bloodstreams. They are carrying it on their skin, which can sometimes cause lesions and abscesses, but that is not the case with these babies."

The spokeswoman said the hospital had asked 66 sets of parents whose babies were on the unit between November 22 and December 19 to return to the hospital for screening.

The majority have come forward, but the spokeswoman said the hospital had not been able to contact them all.

The 28-cot neonatal unit is currently closed to babies from outside the area, the spokeswoman said.

None of the staff have tested positive for the bug so far, she added.

The spokeswoman said all the affected babies are responding to treatment.

PVL attacks the white blood cells, leaving the sufferer unable to fight infection.

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