The genomic investigation to determine whether the bacterium detected in the three newborns in the neonatal intensive care unit of the Verona hospital is related to the “Citrobacter” strain identified four years ago, which caused one death and injuries in other children, will take a long time. This was specified in a note from the Veronese integrated university hospital (Aou).
Although the conditions of the three newborns who tested positive do not cause any concern, the Obstetrics and Gynecology Emergency Department remains operational for pregnancy emergencies at any gestational stage and for all pregnancies beyond the 34th week.
An ambulance transport service has been activated for premature mothers already hospitalized, if doctors deem it safe to transfer them to other Veneto healthcare facilities.
The alert was triggered last Friday when the surveillance system for the admission and care of patients in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) reported an unusual result thanks to the advanced test used to detect Citrobacter koseri, an event that occurred for the first time in four years.
