Superbug alert closes health unit

Acinetobacter bug can be dangerous to people who are seriously ill

The intensive care wing of a Bristol hospital has been closed after three patients were found to be suffering from a drug-resistant "superbug".

Acinetobacter bacteria spread in the Bristol Royal Infirmary (BRI) from a patient who had been in Spain.

All 14 patients who were in the ward are now kept in isolation and the unit is being deep-cleaned by specialists.

New admissions will be treated in the heart unit while cleaning takes place over the next week.

None of the patients from the ward is said to be seriously ill with the bug.

Vapour decontamination

Chris Perry, the BRI's infection prevention and control director, said acinetobacter was not a common bug in the UK, but cases did occasionally occur.

She said the unit was closed because of the dangers of such an antiobiotic-resistant infection spreading.

The bug can linger in hard-to-reach parts of a room, so as well as a standard deep clean, the ward will be flooded with hydrogen peroxide vapour to aid decontamination.

Two years ago, North Bristol Trust experienced similar problems with the bug and had to close a unit to new admissions while it was deep cleaned.