Bacterial infection kills seven patients at downtown Virginia Mason

Klebsiella pneumoniae

A bacterial infection at the downtown campus o Virginia Mason Hospital has infected 31 people to date and killed seven of them.

According to Seattle / King county public health:

Klebsiella pneumoniae are common bacteria that can be part of the normal bacteria living in our bodies, including in our intestines. 

However, sometimes the bacteria can enter a part of the body where it is not normally found and can cause infections such as urinary tract infections, surgical site infections, and pneumonia.

In healthcare settings, the bacteria can spread through person-to-person contact, often from contaminated hands. 

This can happen if you touch someone who has the infection and don’t wash your hands well afterward. Additionally, the bacteria might contaminate environmental surfaces, such as medical equipment like ventilators or catheters. Bacteria can then spread from the equipment to the patient.

One of the reasons Public Health is concerned about the bacteria circulating in this outbreak is because it has a specific enzyme that breaks down common types of antibiotics, making them ineffective.

Seattle / King county public health has issued a Q/A which can be read here.