Deaths Of Two Mothers Who Gave Birth In Same Place May Be Linked

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Main Category: MRSA / Drug Resistance
Also Included In: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses;  Pregnancy / Obstetrics;  Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 05 Jan 2008 - 0:00 PDT

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Two teachers, Amy Kimmace, 39, and Jasmine Pickett, 29, gave birth to a girl and boy respectively on the same day at the same hospital - the Royal Hampshire County Hospital, England. It is claimed there is a high chance that the deaths of these two mothers are linked - they caught an infection after giving birth. They both died within days of being discharged from hospital.

Winchester and Eastleigh healthcare NHS Trust says that the women did die as a result of complications caused by a group A streptococcal infection. However, it also claims that the women's deaths were coincidental and not linked. However, Mark Enright, Professor of Molecular Epidemiology, Imperial College, London, who is investigating the deaths says that what the Trust is saying is unlikely. He believes the chances of both deaths being linked are high.

Enright said "If you look at the national figures, you are talking about around 100 women dying after giving birth in the UK every year. It's extremely unlikely in my view that (they) are not linked." The probability that two mothers die after giving birth, in the same hospital, on the same date, from identical infections was tiny, he added. Enright says a member of the hospital staff might have carried the infection and passed it on.

Enright said he would like to see if laboratory tests on the women revealed the bacteria were the same.

According to the hospital, Mrs. Pickett died from a sudden onset of pneumonia, and Mrs. Kimmace developed fatal toxic shock syndrome - in both cases, caused by group A streptococcal infection.

Despite some similarities, the Trust said in a public statement, the clinical facts suggest that these are two separate tragic incidents and are not directly related to the clinical care received at the hospital. The trust is basically saying that it is highly unlikely its maternity unit was the source of the infections.

There is an investigation currently underway.

Group A Streptococcus (group A strep)

Group A strep is a bacterium which is commonly found on the skin or in the throat. It can cause a wide range of infections, from streptococcal sore throat and streptococcal skin infections, to more serious illnesses such as scarlet fever, rheumatic fever, postpartum fever, wound infections, and pneumonia.

Group A strep is spread by person-to-person contact. The bacteria are carried in discharges from the throat/nose of an infected human and in infected wounds or sores on the skin.

The most common point of entry into an uninfected person is via the mouth, nose or eyes, as well as a cut or scrape.

Infected people who seem healthy are less contagious than infected people who are ill.

Winchester and Eastleigh healthcare NHS Trust

Written by - Christian Nordqvist
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