F-2011-00287 – Adverse incidents involving microbial contamination.
04 October 2011
Summary of request
The Authority was asked for information about the number of incidents reported to the HFEA in the last financial year regarding microbial contamination and the subsequent methods of clinical and laboratory management.
HFEA response
A search of our records shows there to have been five incidents reported to the HFEA regarding microbial contamination in the last financial year (1/04/2010 to 31/03/2011). Please note that two of these were fungal infections. Management of the five incidents was consistent and included the following actions:
• Indentify the source of infection. Seek microbiology or infection control advice regarding further action and, if appropriate, future prevention.
• Clean the immediate area including any equipment e.g. incubator
• If appropriate, deep clean of laboratory
• If the source of the infection was a patient, treat patient with appropriate antibiotics
There is further information about our incident reporting system in our Compliance and Enforcement Policy at: http://www.hfea.gov.uk/docs/Compliance_and_Enforcement_Policy.pdf . Overall numbers of incidents reported to the HFEA each financial year are published in our annual reports at: http://www.hfea.gov.uk/146.html .
Page last updated: 16 August 2012