Deaths of 3 Premature Infants at Pa. Hospital Linked to Preparation of Donor Breast Milk

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Officials have determined a cause for the waterborne bacterial infection thatkilled three premature babiesat a Pennsylvania hospital and left at least five more ill.

On Friday, Edward Hartle, Geisinger executive vice president and chief medical officer, announced ina statementthat the infants’ exposure to the pseudomonas bacterium “came from the process we were using to prepare donor breast milk.”

“Since September 30, we have changed this process, and have been using single-use equipment to measure and administer donor breast milk,” Hartle explained in the statement. “We have had no new cases of infants becoming ill from pseudomonas in the [neonatal intensive care unit] since making this change.”

Hartle also reassured families that the donor breast milk itself is safe.

“We are certain the milk itself was not the cause of the exposure,” he said. “Additionally, mothers should have no concerns about the safety of their own breast milk for their babies. Breast milk is the best food for all infants, including premature infants.”

For now, mothers delivering premature babies will be sent to a different hospital until Geisinger and the state Department of Health determine when is “the appropriate time to resume normal operations.”

source: people.com