Two patients died at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in a superbug CRE outbreak, caused by two medical scopes that still carried the bacteria even after they were disinfected.
In addition to the two victims, seven hospital patients were infected with the deadly superbug between October and January. The medical center has contacted 179 others who had endoscopic procedures between October and January and is offering them home tests to screen for the bacteria.
The superbug, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, or CRE, can kill up to half the patients who contract them, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.
So, should you cancel your procedure?
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Show your doctor this advisory from the FDA that recommends additional cleaning practices, including meticulously cleaning the elevator mechanism by hand. Many hospitals already do this.
Also, show your doctor this article from the Centers for Disease Control: A hospital in Illinois put a stop to duodenoscope infections by using a technique called gas sterilization. Other hospitals have started testing their scopes for bacteria and only using them when the results come back negative.
CNN’s Debra Goldschmidt also contributed.
