The deadly superbug Klebsiella pnemoniae (KPC) reappeared at the National Institute of Health Clinical Center Sept. 7. An individual infected with the KPC strain shows symptoms such as fever, chills and a thick fluid-like discharge from the lungs. Although the bug was first discovered in 2001, it has spread throughout the country and proves to be highly resistant. Efforts to stop the spread of KPC have been unsuccessful as the strain seems to have become immune to most antibiotics.
Many hospitals and clinical centers are using stringent de-contamination procedures to control and isolate the infection. However, the Sept. 17 death of a boy who died because of the bacterial strain and was cared for at the NIH hospital has produced concern about whether these hospitals are safe for patients.
