CRAB Outbreak at UF Health Shands Hospital

University of Florida Health Shands Hospital is a well-known medical center that was recognized as one of the nation’s best in the 2011-2012 U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals Ranking. Unfortunately, the hospital was also the site of a serious bacterial infection outbreak in 2013.

On July 29, 2013 the chief medical officer of the hospital called a press conference to announce that the hospital’s burn unit was closed for redesign and that they had discovered a germ resistant to all antibiotics except Colistin. The germ had infected seven people between March and July 2013. Shands did not disclose how many people had died as a result of the infection.

CRAB, also known as Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, is typically not harmful to healthy people. However, when found in a healthcare setting it can lead to serious infections in people with weakened immune systems, those have suffered burns or who have invasive medical devices.

After some investigating, it was found that the germ was being passed on from patient-to-patient. Many changes were put in place to help keep areas such as walls and the ceiling clear of the bacteria. The hospital does admit though that this is a constant struggle and it is something the hospital will continue to work on to reduce the risk of exposure to harmful bacteria like CRAB.

If you were a patient in a hospital and you now have a serious infection contact one of our skilled personal injury attorneys today for a free legal consultation.

According to data.medicare.gov, between July 2012 and July 2013, UF Shands Hospital reported approximately 250 cases of health-care associated infections. Patients had been diagnosed with having:

• Surgical site infections
• C.diff
• Catheter associate urinary tract infections (CAUTI)
• Central-line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI)
• MRSA

The data from data.medicare.gov only provides numbers for a limited period of time and the amount of observed cases by year’s end were likely much higher.

Contact a Lawyer

Hospitals and other medical facilities are breeding grounds for germs that can illness if proper procedures to avoid hospital-acquired infections are not followed. Unfortunately, these germs are often spread due to medical negligence.

If you or a loved one has suffered from a hospital-acquired infection after a stay at UF Shands Hospital, our lawyers can help you fight for the justice you deserve. When you need support, guidance and exceptional legal representation, turn to Gordon & Partners.

Call us at 1 (855) 722-2552 to schedule a free case review with one our experienced attorneys .