Montreal hospital dealing with a highly drug-resistant superbug
Posted Sep 19, 2011 05:48:53 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
TORONTO – A Montreal hospital has been battling for the last year to extinguish an outbreak of a worrisome and highly drug-resistant bacteria.
The outbreak at the Jewish General is the first in Canada caused by this strain of the bacteria, called K-P-C producing Klebsiella pneumoniae or K-P-C for short.
The bug has sparked serious concern globally because of how easily it spreads and because it can transfer its drug resistant skills to other bacteria.
The hospital’s head of infection control, Dr. Mark Miller says 27 patients have tested positive for K-P-C since it was first spotted in the hospital in August of last year.
Miller says the outbreak is under control, but the hospital still has a few patients with K-P-C.
The Public Health Agency of Canada says 80 cases of K-P-C have been identified in Canada since surveillance for it started two years ago.
