Hospital-borne C. difficile bacteria caused 10 of 26 deaths at a Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., hospital between April and November 2006, the region's deputy chief coroner said Wednesday.
An initial investigation into the deaths at Sault Area Hospital has concluded, said coroner Dr. Bonita Porter, who chaired the C. difficile expert review committee.
C. difficile contributed to another eight of the deaths, but were not a factor in the deaths of the remaining eight patients out of the total of 26, according to the review of medical charts and information gathered from autopsies.
"We have communicated the results of our investigation to the Sault Area Hospital and to the families of the deceased," Porter said.
"We will continue to work with the hospital to determine if there are lessons to be learned that may be shared with others in order to reduce such occurrences not only in Sault Ste. Marie, but across the province."
C. difficile causes swelling of the intestines and diarrhea as well as fever and vomiting.
Experts have been trying to gain control over C. difficile cases at the Sault Area Hospital, where infections have been reduced.
Overcrowding remains an obstacle to infection control, the hospital's chief of staff said.
In an average year, the hospital has between 15 and 25 cases.
With files from the Canadian PressRelated
More Health Headlines »
- Triglyceride blood fat levels linked to stroke: study
- People who have high levels of triglycerides — a type of blood fat — in their bloodstream may be at a higher risk of a certain kind of stroke, new research finds.
- Avastin prolongs survival of women with breast cancer: study
- The cancer drug Avastin — taken with chemotherapy — prolongs the survival of women with breast cancers that have spread, new U.S. research indicates.
- StatsCan needs to do better in measuring health-care: study
- Canadians are likely getting more value from the health-care system than Statistics Canada's figures suggest, says an Ottawa-based think tank.
- Honey-drenched dressings touted as the bee's knees for wounds
- Amid growing concern over drug-resistant superbugs and nonhealing wounds that endanger diabetes patients, nature's original antibiotic — honey — is making a comeback.
- Truro hospital struggles with backlog of nuclear tests
- The Colchester East Hants Health Authority is facing a backlog of nuclear health tests as the supply of radioisotopes is finally replenished.
Blog Watch
Most Blogged about CBC.ca Articles
Note: CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external sites - link will open in new window
