MRSA outbreak in Henrico NICU lasted over 3 years, infected 94 babies
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An outbreak of the antibiotic-resistant infection MRSA circulated in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital for more than three years and infected 94 babies, according to what staff members at the hospital shared with state inspectors.
Inspectors with the Virginia Department of Health's (VDH) Office of Licensure and Certification found during a survey completed January 24 that the hospital failed to consistently implement methods to prevent and control the transmission of infections within the hospital.
MRSA is a frequent source of infections affecting premature and critically ill infants in NICUs, according to the National Institutes of Health, and it can cause a variety of serious infections in NICU babies, which can lead to prolonged hospitalizations and potential long-term medical problems.
A staff member at the hospital told the state on January 23 that the hospital had “not determined the cause” of the outbreak, and the last positive MRSA result was on November 4, 2024.
We asked VDH if any of the babies who contracted MRSA died from it, and we are waiting to hear back.
An infectious disease doctor at a Virginia hospital elsewhere in the state who asked to remain anonymous said they typically see five, maybe 10, MRSA cases a year in the NICU, which is far less than 94 over three years.
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