Local

Baby being treated for MRSA at Magee-Women's Hospital

PITTSBURGH — A local family contacted Channel 11 Tuesday because their newborn baby is being treated for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA.
 
Twins Devanaya and Da'Lonna Knox were preemies at Magee-Women's Hospital.
 
Their mom told Channel 11 that days after they were born she received a phone call from a nurse, saying they were moving one baby girl to a separate ward because she had MRSA.
 
"They said the baby got MRSA.  I said, 'That is not a common cold,'" said the baby's grandmother Leslie Gee.
 
"They said it's very normal.  I looked it up, and this is not normal.  This is scary," said the baby's mom Rajanaya Summers.

Magee-Women's Hospital released the following statement Tuesday:
 
"The health and safety of at Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC is our top priority. That is why we work aggressively to prevent all patient infections, including MRSA, and emphasize proper hand hygiene and take multiple precautions with staff and families.
 
"Since February, two babies have developed a MRSA infection. These infections have been appropriately shared with the family and state agencies.   The exact origin of the bacteria, which is widely found in the community, is unknown.
 
"Historically, Magee has had—and continues to have—a very low rate of MRSA infections among its newborn population.  We continue to screen aggressively for MRSA among our babies and to take all appropriate precautions."

Although it is still a major threat to hospital patients, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study showed the number of infections in hospitals declined 54 percent between 2005 and 2011.

The CDC describes MRSA as a bacteria that is resistant to many antibiotics. In the community, most MRSA infections are skin infections. In medical facilities, MRSA can cause life-threatening bloodstream infections, pneumonia and surgical site infections.