LOS ANGELES — Contaminated medical instruments are suspected in a “superbug” outbreak at a Los Angeles hospital that has infected at least seven patients, two of whom died. More than 170 others may have been exposed to the antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
They were potentially infected with Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, or CRE, during endoscopic procedures at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center between October and January, UCLA spokeswoman Dale Tate said. Tests on a patient uncovered the outbreak.
Similar outbreaks of potentially lethal CRE have been reported around the nation. They are difficult to treat because some varieties are resistant to most known antibiotics. By one estimate, CRE can contribute to death in up to half of seriously infected patients, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The bacteria may have been a “contributing factor” in the deaths of two patients, UCLA said in a statement. Those who may have been exposed are being sent free home-testing kits that the university will analyze.
The bacteria can cause infections of the bladder or lungs. Symptoms can include coughing, fever and chills.