Queensland healthcare providers have been told to immediately stop using two sodium chloride products due to a national bacteria outbreak impacting hospitals around the country.
Authorities are investigating if imported saline products used in hospitals nationwide were contaminated with Ralstonia pickettii bacterium, which was present in the blood of a patient who recently passed away in a Queensland hospital.
It is not yet certain if the death of the patient is linked to the contaminated products.
The national outbreak of Ralstonia infections was raised in Queensland parliament this morning by Health Minister Shannon Fentiman, who described it as “a significant matter impacting Australian hospitals”.
“This is a national issue,” she said.
Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard this afternoon confirmed 43 suspected cases around the country were linked to the outbreak.
He said there were three confirmed cases and three probable cases in private hospitals in Queensland since the outbreak was first identified in New South Wales in mid-September.
He said it was believed to have been caused by imported saline products being contaminated with the Ralstonia bacterium.
The bacterium was detected in wounds on the Queensland patients, meaning the wounds had probably been irrigated with the contaminated saline product, Gerrard said.
He said the patients weren’t showing signs of being any more unwell because they were infected with the bacteria.
Fentiman told parliament Ralstonia is normally found in soil and water.
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“While it does not normally cause infection in humans, it has previously been tied to outbreaks in healthcare settings,” she said.
“It is especially concerning to those with significant underlying medical conditions or who have implanted medical devices.”
“In mid-September, NSW health authorities asked Australian states to be on the lookout for Ralstonia cases after a cluster of infections was identified, but with no apparent cause.”
Queensland laboratories have been on the lookout for the bacteria since then, Fentiman said.
“The organism was identified in the blood of an elderly patient in a Queensland private hospital, who has subsequently passed away.”
Queensland Health told 9news.com.au it was working to determine if any cases in the state were linked to the national outbreak.
“We are investigating all recent Ralstonia infections in Queensland to determine if any are linked to the national outbreak,” a Queensland Health spokesperson said.
“To date, no cases in this cluster have been linked to Queensland Health facilities.”
The spokesperson said the health department was participating in outbreak investigation meetings being led by NSW Health.
“On Friday, we issued a patient safety alert advising all public and private hospitals of the Ralstonia outbreak and requesting that they immediately quarantine two specific sodium chloride products, as per instructions by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).”
The TGA and NSW Health have been contacted for comment.
