New Jersey hospital faced superbug outbreak amid Covid surge

As a New Jersey hospital faced an increase in Covid-19 cases in the spring, another deadly foe quietly spread among its patients: a drug-resistant bacterial infection.

The superbug epidemic, detailed in a report released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shows how the coronavirus can overwhelm a hospital, strain care and expose patients to other unwanted outcomes.

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Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumanii, or CRAB, is a drug-resistant bacteria known to spread in hospitals, especially in intensive care units. It can cause pneumonia as well as wound, blood and urinary tract infections, according to the CDC. Carbapenem, a strong antibiotic, is ineffective in treating infection.

Not all patients get sick – in some cases bacteria can ‘colonize’ the body, but not cause infection. These patients can still spread the bacteria to others.

The outbreak was first detected in the unnamed New Jersey hospital on May 28, according to the CDC report. Further investigation by the state hospital and health department identified a total of 34 patients who had contracted the superbug from February to July. Typically, the hospital treats up to two cases per month.

The majority of cases – 82% – occurred from March to June, when the hospital faced an increase in the number of Covid-19 patients and, with it, a severe shortage of staff, supplies and resources. necessary equipment.

Bacteria pose a threat to hospital patients because they can survive on surfaces for a long time, according to the CDC. Contaminated surfaces must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected to avoid outbreaks.

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However, these infection control measures were affected during the Covid-19 outbreak in the hospital. Personal protective equipment has been reused, for example. Fewer tests for the bacteria were administered to patients, due to understaffing and patients with greater needs.

The report also noted that before the pandemic, key parts of a ventilator were changed every 14 days. However, to save on equipment during the power surge, the hospital decided to replace these parts only when they were visibly dirty or malfunctioning.

Twenty-five of the 34 patients infected or colonized with the bacteria were on ventilators at the time.

Twenty of the 34 patients were infected, including 11 patients with Covid-19. Fourteen developed a form of pneumonia linked to the bacterial infection, four of whom also had bacteremia, an infection of the blood. A total of 10 patients have died and one remains hospitalized, according to the report.

It wasn’t until the end of May that the hospital was able to resume normal activities – and with that, the CRAB cases fell.

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