Jun 10, 2009 5:42 pm US/Eastern
I-Team: Report Reveals Spread Of Bacteria At MCH
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
A report by the Miami-Dade County Health Department has identified the source of bacteria blamed for the deaths of two babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Miami Children's Hospital in March 2009. The report, supplied to the
CBS4 News I-Team only after a public records request, also revealed the infection problem went considerably beyond the 3 babies originally made known to the public.
The detailed report, prepared after two children died at the hospital within a day of each other last March, blames the deaths on the pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria, and found that the bacteria was located in sinks and faucets in many of the NICU's rooms. The 2 babies who died and a third who was gravely ill had all been staying in Room 2. At least one sink in that room was found to have very high water pressure, that caused excessive splash. The Health Department suggests the splashing could have transferred the bacteria from the sink to areas near the babies, or onto equipment used to treat them.
A meeting was held to discuss the findings, and the report said, "It was agreed by all parties at the meeting that MCH consultant's results were consistent with the results and observations gathered by the MDCHD staff and that corrective measures needed to be taken to address the compromised water quality on the NICU floor."
CBS I-Team Investigator Jim DeFede, who has been reviewing the report, said that as a result of the three cases, officials went in and checked every child in the NICU. 11 of those children tested positive for pseudonomas, though none of them became ill.
Anthony Malinconico was one of two infants who died within 24 hours of each other at Miami Children's Hospital. Anthony, who was born two months premature and weighed three pounds two ounces, died on March 14.
"I know he was fine, he was living, he was alive, he was kicking and then they said he had some sort of infection," said Michael. "They didn't make it very clear to me about what was going on. They were a little secretive about things and how he passed away."
The next day, on March 15, 21-day-old La'ziea Skinner died in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit. La'ziea was born almost four moths early and weighed in at just one pound, five ounces.
"[La'ziea] fought so hard," said Amanda Nalls, whose 17-year-old daughter gave birth to the infant. She said she never had a chance to hold her granddaughter.
"And my daughter didn't get to hold her either until she passed away," she added, wiping away tears.
Both babies were born at the same hospital in Fort Pierce and airlifted, fourteen days apart, to Miami Children's Hospital.
Miami Children's Hospital issued the following statement:
"The hospital has worked extensively and cooperatively with the Miami-Dade County Health Department. The department conclusively determined that there was no causal connection between the deaths of the two infants and patient care practices. The report also confirms that the hospital's infection control practices are consistent with established standards.
We're pleased to report that many of the recommendations made by the Miami-Dade County Health Department were already routine practices. The remaining recommendations are being reviewed and will be acted upon as appropriate.
As the facility that other hospitals turn to for the care of the most fragile neonates, Miami Children's will continue to provide high quality care. We take our responsibility to serve the children and families of this community very seriously."
CBS4'COM's Dave Game and Daniel Lastra contributed to this report.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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