Probe after NUIG laboratory MRSA scare
A person developed a skin infection while working on disease-causing microorganisms in a biomedical research laboratory at NUI Galway, leading to fears the university was dealing with an outbreak of MRSA.
The individual was treated by their doctor last November and made a full recovery without requiring hospitalisation.
However, the incident was deemed serious enough for a full internal investigation to be carried out.
The laboratory was professionally “deep cleaned” and as a precaution, the laboratory and nearby corridors and public areas were then swabbed for the presence of MRSA by a specialist company.
This prompted a suspicion among workers and students that the laboratory had been hit with an outbreak of the contagious and antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
However, the university has categorically denied there was any outbreak of the superbug, which can lead to potentially dangerous infection.
“There was no outbreak of MRSA in NUI Galway. All areas were negative, that is S. aureus or MRSA were not found in any of the samples,” said a spokeswoman.
“This incident was immediately reported and a full internal investigation was carried out. Furthermore, a thorough review and audit of standard operating procedures was carried out and infrastructural improvements to further safeguard against such incidents in future have been implemented.”
Access to the microbiology department in general has now been further restricted and is by swipe card access only.
Although the laboratory was already equipped with one Class 2 Biosafety cabinet, two additional class 2 Biosafety cabinets have been installed in the research laboratory to further enhance pathogen containment.
“Risk assessments, safe operating procedures and the layout of the research laboratory have been reviewed by the university safety officer.”
“Biomedical research, including research on a range of microorganisms that cause disease, is a core activity in NUI Galway,” she stated.
“This research is important for the development of new strategies to prevent and treat infections. Research in this area requires specialised safety equipment and operating procedures.
“With hundreds of staff and students engaged in laboratory research on campus, we place the highest priority on their health and safety. To this end, we continue to place the greatest emphasis on training and equipping individuals to the highest international standards.”