A fecal bacterium outbreak in Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) left four premature infants infected, one of whom died, the hospital said on Saturday.
The hospital informed the parents of the infected babies about the situation. It stated that their condition was stable, while also confirming that the infection had been contained in the NICU with no further cases reported.
The bacterium is known as “Enterobacter,” a type of bacterium that originates in the intestines. Normally, it may be found as part of the digestive tract, but when it penetrates the bloodstream, lungs, or urinary tract, especially in immunocompromised individuals such as premature infants, it causes severe and fatal infections.
One of the biggest problems with this bacterium is its ability to develop widespread antibiotic resistance. Enterobacter bacteria sometimes possess genes that give them resistance to antibiotics from different groups, including beta-lactams and carbapenems, making it very difficult to treat cases of systemic infection.
This also means that the bacterium especially affects weakened patients, such as premature infants, ventilated patients, and those with long-term hospitalizations, while not causing disease in healthy individuals in general.
In premature infants, where daily invasive treatments are performed and the immune system of premature infants is still immature, Enterobacter can cause sepsis, severe pneumonia, and even urinary tract or central nervous system infections.
Rambam Hospital NICU under investigation
The bacterium can be transmitted to infants through contact with unsterile medical equipment or hands that have not been properly disinfected. Sometimes it also spreads in water systems or humid environments, making it difficult to accurately locate the source of the infection.
Outbreaks of Enterobacter in premature infants have been documented in hospitals worldwide, prompting extensive investigations and the strengthening of control procedures.
A comprehensive investigation was opened at Rambam to prevent the recurrence of cases, utilizing comprehensive environmental tests and strengthening disinfection processes. In the meantime, the neonatal unit has been closed to new premature infants.