Clostridium difficile out break in Northern Ireland kills 16 and 13 seriously ill

The Northern Ireland , National Health Northern Health and Social Care Trust area have recorded 16 hospital related deaths to a virulent strain identified as ribotype 027 Clostridium difficile.

Five deaths in Whiteabbey and one in Braid Valley hospital, Ballymena in the last 3 months have also been linked to the same strain of Clostridium.

Antrim hospital is currently treating 13 patients in a special "a dedicated cohort ward" identified as having contracted illness caused by the contagious bacteria - Clostridium Difficile Associate Diarrhoea (CDAD) which causes violent and often fatal diarrhoea especially in older people.

Currently there are there are currently 26 declared cases of C.difficile, "the bulk of them at the Antrim Area Hospital".

The Trust's medical director, Dr Peter Flanagan, explained that an outbreak of C.difficile is declared when the number of cases increases above the normal level.

"We would expect around 8 cases per month. We currently have around 20 per month," he said.


Lab reports of C-difficile in Northern Ireland increased from 412 in 1996 to 1,486 to 2006. The disease is cited in more deaths than the better known MRSA superbug, the expert said.

Belfast Telegraph - Patients isolated after superbug outbreak at hospital - Friday, October
Belfast Telegraph - 16 recent fatalities linked to superbug - Wednesday, January 23, 2008


Proventec PLC (AIM : PROV) has been awarded a 14-month tender for the sole provision of
specialist steam cleaning equipment by the National Health Service ('NHS') Purchase and Supply Agency with an optional 1 year extension by it's subsidiary, Liverpool based, Osprey DeepClean . The contract results from the recent £50 Mn. extra funding for the Strategic Health Authority.

The company claim that their carried out healthcare studies, carried out
in conjunction with the University College London Hospital is an endorsement that our dry steam cleaning units can provide a higher standard of cleaning and hygiene.


David Chestnutt, Chief Executive of Proventec announcing the contract said, "'Hospitals have a duty of care to provide a clean environment for patients.There have been accusations that the Government's recent initiative for a national deep clean is merely a gimmick. It is not. "

Well he would say that wouldn't he. Bollocks.

Clostridium difficile is a faecal contaminant and a rigorous policy of handwashing with disinfectant soap by all staff, and visitors is the surest way to prevent it's spread....which is why it has spread so relentlessly throughout the UK hospitals.

Listen to and Download "Henry Handwash" MP3

Detailed report on deaths in NI where C difficile is given as a cause 2000/05