A Waikato Hospital ward has been closed after four patients tested positive for multi-drug resistant 'organism carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae' (CRE).

The hospital closed one of the Older Persons and Rehabilitation wards to new admissions in order to prevent the spread of the ‘superbug'.

Waikato Hospital has closed one of its Older Persons and Rehabilitation wards to prevent the spread of multi-drug resistant organism carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae, which has been discovered in four patients. Photo: File

Waikato Hospital infectious disease physician Dr Erana Gray says they take these situations very seriously, especially with an organism that's proven difficult to manage overseas but yet remains uncommon in New Zealand.

'There have been cases before in New Zealand, including in the Waikato and they have always been brought back from overseas,” she says.

'Most people who catch this bug do not become unwell with it, as it lives harmlessly in the gut, it is more likely to cause a problem in people who are sick for some other reason.”

The bug came into the ward from a patient who had a stroke while holidaying in Australia where they were hospitalised initially.

It is believed the patient contracted the bug just before being transferred to Waikato Hospital.

Of the four patients with the bug currently, only one is unwell with it and is responding to an alternative antibiotic treatment, which the bug is still sensitive to.

CRE is of particular concern when found in hospitals where patients are more vulnerable due to age, poor health or recovering from surgery.

If a patient in hospital is carrying CRE it can get into the ward environment and can also be passed from person to person via the hands of health care workers or contaminated medical equipment.

Effective infection control procedures including environmental cleaning and good hand hygiene by staff and patients can reduce the risk of spread significantly.

The range of measures put in place to control CRE outbreaks include isolation of patients with CRE, screening of other patients in a ward, education for staff, patients and families and monitoring of laboratory specimens.

Occasionally additional measures such as ward closure and 'spring cleaning” of wards is implemented.

Hand washing or use of alcohol gel to clean hands remains the most important infection control measure.

Waikato Hospital is advising all GPs and rest homes of the outbreak.