"Flesh Eating"
Bacteria At the San Juan de Dios Hospital
The hospital San Juan de Dios continues to
have problems with bacterial infections,
with at least two patients now infected with
"Necrotizing fasciitis", a a rare bacterial
infection that can destroy skin and the soft
tissues beneath it, including fat and the
tissue covering the muscles.
Because these tissues often die rapidly, a
person with necrotizing fasciitis is
sometimes said to be infected with
"flesh-eating" bacteria, or "come carne" in
Spanish.
The news of the flesh eating bacteria was
revealed by Raúl Marín, representing the
workers of the Sindicato de la Salud y la
Seguridad Social del Hospital union and
hospital officials who have asked for
anonymity.
Marín said that there is at least one
patient in the emergency surgery, which has
hospital staff worried that the infection
could spread throughout the hospital.
The director of the hospital, Ileana
Balmaceda, has denied any such cases.
Many people who get necrotizing fasciitis
are in good health prior to the infection.
Those at increased risk of developing the
infection are people who have a weakened
immune system or lack the proper antibodies
to fight off the infection, chronic health
problems such as diabetes, cancer, or liver
or kidney disease, among other causes like
having cuts, recently had chickenpox or
other viral infections or use steroid
medicines.
Balmaceda told the Spanish language daily,
Al Día, that she would have to review the
files before she can confirm any such cases
and that she wasn't able to on Saturday.
The director added that a hospital is a
place that is full of bacteria, being a
centre for the sick.
The hospital has recently been under fire
with the spread of the bacteria ‘Clostridium
difficile’ and said to be responsible for
the death of 12 people so far this year.
Clostridium difficile is a bacterium that
causes diarrhea and more serious intestinal
conditions such as pseudomembranous colitis,
a severe infection of the colon, often
resulting from eradication of the normal gut
flora by antibiotics. Latent symptoms often
mimic some flu-like symptoms.
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