Two patients died at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in a superbug Carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae (CRE) outbreak. After an investigation, the deaths were found to be caused by two medical scopes that still carried the gram-negative bacteria even after they were disinfected. These bacteria are nearly resistant to the carbapenem class of antibiotics, widely considered the “antibiotics of last resort” for many bacterial infections, such as Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (pneumonia). There are currently no new antibiotics in development to combat bacteria resistant to carbapenems, and worldwide spread of the resistance gene is considered a potential nightmare scenario.

In addition to the two victims, seven hospital patients were infected with the deadly superbug between October and January. The medical center has contacted 179 others who had endoscopic procedures between October and January and is offering them home tests to screen for the bacteria.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says CRE can kill up to half the patients who contract them. The heavy resistance to antibiotics makes this bacteria difficult to treat. Healthy people are not at a high risk for contracting CRE infections. The infections usually happen to patients in hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare settings. Patients whose care requires devices like ventilators, urinary catheters, or intravenous catheters, and patients who are taking long courses of certain antibiotics are most at risk for CRE infections.

The exposures occurred at the UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center during procedures in which a specialized endoscope is inserted down the throat to diagnose and treat pancreatic and bile duct diseases. The specialized endoscopes, termed duodenoscopes, may have been designed in such a way that impedes proper cleaning of the medical device. An investigation by the FDA is “closely monitoring the association between reprocessed duodenoscopes and the transmission of infectious agents.”