Some of the sickest and most fragile infants at Canton’s Aultman Hospital were recently infected by a common bacteria that can be deadly.
It’s unclear when the bacteria — Serratia marcescens — was first discovered in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit, how many infants were infected and what impact those infections had on the babies’ health.
The Ohio Department of Health on Thursday confirmed NICU patients were infected with the bacteria but declined to provide those details, saying the information is part of an ongoing joint investigation by state, local and hospital health officials.
Serratia marcescens isn’t harmful to most healthy people, published medical research says. But the bacteria — often found in bathrooms and other damp areas — can be deadly for those who are sick or weak.
“We are working with the Ohio Department of Health to test for the presence of a bacteria called Serratia in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit,” hospital spokeswoman Tiffany Zingg said in an email. “In the interest of the health of our patients and families, we are not accepting transfers to our NICU while we complete this process.”
In November, newspapers in the U.K. reported a premature baby died at a Scotland hospital after being infected by the same bacteria. And last month, in an unrelated case, two former pharmacists from Alabama were sent to federal prison for their roles in the distribution of drugs tainted by Serratia marcescens that contributed to the deaths of nine patients in Birmingham-area hospitals.
Investigators at Aultman are trying to determine how Serratia marcescens got into the NICU there.
Aultman — which advertises having the only high-risk NICU unit between Canton and Columbus — has 25 single neonatal rooms.
The hospital stopped accepting transfers to its NICU about week ago. State health officials said they notified hospitals in the region late July 1 that Aultman would halt transfers until further notice.
Public not at risk
Officials at Akron’s three hospital systems — Akron Children’s Hospital, Summa Health and Cleveland Clinic Akron General — said Thursday that their operations had not been impacted by what’s happening at Aultman’s NICU.
Public health and hospital officials only confirmed the Aultman NICU infections and ongoing investigation Thursday after a reporter started asking questions.
James Adams, health commissioner for the city of Canton, said there are two or three health investigations happening at any time in Canton. Officials only notify the public if they believe the community might be at risk.
He declined to name Aultman or provide details of the case, but said investigators did not have those fears in this investigation.
In general, he said, all hospitals maintain infectious disease units and notify any patients and their families who may be impacted.
Health officials don’t notify the public of every probe because it could make organizations like hospitals less likely to contact them with health concerns, he said.
What should pregnant women who plan to deliver at Aultman do?
State health officials Thursday advised them and others concerned about Aultman’s NICU to consult their physicians.
Amanda Garrett can be reached at 330-996-3725 or agarrett@thebeaconjournal.com.