Hospital Sink Cause of Two Bacterial Infections in Idaho: CDC

Two patients admitted to an Idaho hospital contracted a deadly drug-resistant bacterial infection from a hospital sink, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports.

The bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, was first identified by hospital staff on September 17, 2021 in the nose of a female patient who had received mechanical ventilation as part of her treatment. She was receiving treatment in the room for three to five weeks, the CDC reports.

Months later, a second patient who stayed in that room for four weeks was determined to have been infected by the bacteria on January 25, 2022.

Upon discovery of these cases, hospital staff began to collect samples from the environment to determine the source of these infections. A sample from the sink collected in March was positive for the bacteria.

Another 16 patients stayed in the room between the pair who were infected with none suffering from the condition. There was no evidence of person-to-person transmission. Use of the room was stopped during the investigation by the CDC and Idaho Department of Health.

Pseudomonas, a germ that causes infections in people, mainly in a hospital setting, can spread quickly and cause significant illness. According to the CDC, it can cause pneumonia and blood infections. 

The investigation found that both patients also had other infections which may have caused more health complications.

People with weak immune systems and those on ventilators are more vulnerable to P. aeruginosa. The infection can be treated with antibiotics, and symptoms include fever, loss of hearing, chills, cough, and a hard time breathing. However, antibiotics are harder to fight the infection when exposed in a healthcare environment.

To find the best treatment, medical professionals send a specimen sample to the laboratory to see which antibiotics can fight the germs, according to the CDC. Healthcare professionals choose an antibiotic based on factors such as possible side effects. 

According to the CDC, there were an estimated 32,600 infections of Pseudomonas in 2017, and 2,700 people died of it.

Officials said that maintaining clean sinks is vital to limiting the spread of the bacteria in hospital settings. Experts warn that outbreaks of drug resistant bacteria and fungi in hospitals are becoming more common.