SIX babies have tested positive for MRSA at a special care baby unit, it emerged yesterday.
The infants were found to be "colonised" with the bug during routine testing at Glasgow's Southern General Hospital.
Although MRSA was found on their skin, it was not at a stage where it had become harmful to the babies, all of whom have since be
en discharged.
The city's health board said the unit was not closed at any time, and extra infection control measures were in place.
The infection, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, can only cause infection if it gets into a wound. It is harmless if it is merely present on the skin.
A spokeswoman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: "We can confirm that our infection control team have been inspecting six babies with MRSA on their skin at the specialist baby care unit at the Southern General.
"The cases were identified following routine testing, and there was no cause for concern for any of the babies, who have all been discharged."
She added: "At no time was the unit closed, and it is continuing to operate as normal."
The news comes as the Scottish Government prepares to introduce rigorous new guidelines for hospital staff to prevent the spread of such superbugs.
From next month, a "zero tolerance" hygiene policy will be adopted, meaning doctors and nurses who repeatedly fail to wash their hands could face disciplinary action or dismissal.
Ministers previously set a 90 per cent target for handwashing, to be met by February next year.
They now believe that target has been achieved ahead of schedule, but this still leaves up to 10 per cent of staff failing to wash their hands often enough.
An aide to Nicola Sturgeon, the health secretary, said it was "unacceptable" for medical staff to flout hygiene rules. He said: "Hand hygiene is an important part of our drive to tackle healthcare associated infection. NHS Scotland has met the target to achieve at least 90 per cent compliance.
"We are now adopting a zero tolerance approach to non compliance and all (health] boards are expected to implement this policy from January 2009."
He added that a new campaign would be launched next month to raise awareness of the high standards being set.
"It is unacceptable for staff to fail to comply with hand hygiene guidance. All staff must ensure the safest possible environment for patients. Zero tolerance means just that, and all staff should be in no doubt that the highest standards are expected. Those who fail to comply will face action."
The initiative is designed to complement the new assessment procedures of Scottish hospitals.
C diff test labs facing closureSPECIALIST laboratories that helped detect a hospital-acquired infection that claimed the lives of 18 people are to be closed, a health board has proposed.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has admitted it is considering closing microbiology labs at the Vale of Leven Hospital in West Dunbartonshire, where tests are carried out into C diff and other infections.
The families of those killed in the C diff outbreak reacted angrily to the suggestion.
The infection directly caused nine deaths and contributed to the deaths of nine others between last June and December.
The full article contains 547 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
