New superbug Steno
Wednesday, 07 May 2008 11:41
There are about 1,000 reports of Steno blood poisoning in the UK each year
A new worrying infection is emerging in hospitals alongside the superbugs MRSA and C.difficile.
Health experts say cases of Steno - full name Stenotrophomonas maltophilia - are relatively uncommon but are currently increasing.
There are about 1,000 reports of Steno blood poisoning in the UK each year, with a mortality rate of about 30 per cent.
The infection exists in moist environments such as taps and showerheads and enters the body through devices including catheters or ventilation tubes that are left in place for long periods of time.
It is as hard to treat as MRSA and C.difficile but is exclusively acquired in hospitals.
Scientists at the University of Bristol and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute have unravelled the genetic information of Steno, which they say could answer questions about how to treat and prevent the infection.
Their warning of Steno's drug resistance and increasing prevalence comes as the government seeks to crack down on hospital-acquired infections.
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