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Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland

Hospitals are contacting thousands of patients to tell them they may have contracted a 'superbug'

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes CPE as “nightmare” bacteria.

THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE who may have been exposed to an antibiotic resistant “superbug” during a hospital visit are being contacted to make them aware of the potential infection.

A number of different types of Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) have spread through the health system in Ireland in recent years.

The bugs’ resistance to treatment has prompted the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to describe them as ”nightmare” bacteria.

Last year saw a wave of fresh diagnoses in with 433 new people found to be carrying the infection.

The HSE now believes, based on testing, that approximately 2,000 people in the country carry the disease. The majority of carriers contracted the infection during a hospital visit.

The health service says that most patients who carry CPE never experience any illness, as the bug lies harmlessly in the gut. However, one in every 400 carriers goes on to develop a serious infection.

“It is important to say that only a small number of the people who are CPE contacts will carry CPE,” Prof Martin Cormican, HSE Lead for Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control, said.

For most of those patients who do carry CPE it will live harmlessly in the gut along with the many other gut bugs we all carry. However the information that they are CPE Contacts is important if they have to go back into hospital in the future.

“It is important also to say that for those people who get CPE infection, there are antibiotics that work to treat CPE infection,” Prof Cormican added.

Due to the potential threat of the bug, the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) for CPE was set up in October last year.

This expert group advised that any patient who shared a ward or clinical area with a CPE carrier should be contacted.

Hospital groups are now getting in touch with these CPE ‘contacts’. They are not being recommended to have tests conducted rather they are being advised to follow good hand hygiene practice to prevent the spread of the bacteria.

About one in every 20 people who are identified as contacts will go on to carry the bug.

Anyone who is concerned about CPE can access information from the HSE here.

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    Mute Tonks
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    Apr 9th 2020, 9:10 PM

    It’s absolutely shocking the amount of cars parked outside private holiday homes in North Wexford. Why aren’t the guards out fining these people for violating the rules?

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    Mute Ricky
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    Apr 9th 2020, 9:54 PM

    The media before lockdown: ‘Why isn’t the country going into lockdown, we need a lockdown’

    The media 11 days into lockdown: ‘When are we exiting lockdown, when can shops open again?’

    Era next week lads, probably Tuesday.

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    Mute @jayhennessy350
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    Apr 10th 2020, 10:41 AM

    It’s a disgrace, absolutely no point in coming down nowhere is open, selfish the lot of them. I’m from dublin but have lived here long enough with my young family, and myself and my partner spoke about this last night. I’m by no means pro garda (nor am I disrespectful in any way) but I do agree with your comment, those on the way should be fined and those that got through and are heading home after Easter should be caught on the northbound lanes. Simple as. They’re not respecting the peoe who live here native and blow ins as the wexicans like to call us haha, we’re not all bad and some of us actually contribute albeit very few, that’s hard to admit from a proud dub lads jaysis stay safe out there folks..

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