A coroner's court yesterday recorded what is believed to be the State's first verdict of death by MRSA infection.
The coroner, Myra Cullinane, ordered that deaths due to hospital infections must be reported to the coroner and other reporting bodies so that statistics could be gathered.
This is the first time this has occurred in Ireland and members of MRSA and Families Central Council welcomed the ruling as a landmark judgment.
Cork Coroner's Court yesterday heard the inquest into the death of Valentine Ryan (74), Willow Bank, Carrigaline, Co Cork. Mr Ryan died on April 25th, 2002, at Cork University Hospital. He had suffered renal failure as well as a heart attack, but the court heard yesterday it was MRSA septicaemia that killed him. Ms Cullinane recorded a verdict that Mr Ryan had died of a "hospital-acquired infection".
Consultant Mr Martin Buckley gave detailed medical evidence regarding Mr Ryan's treatment.
Mr Ryan was admitted to Mercy Hospital in Cork on February 25th, 2002, to be treated for several ailments, including weight loss, internal ulcers of the colon, diarrhoea and kidney problems. During his time there it was found he was suffering from a renal infection.
Due to his inability to pass urine because of an enlarged prostate, it was determined that doctors would have to insert a catheter. Medics were unable to insert this tube so it was then decided that an operation would be carried out to free the fluid from inside Mr Ryan's bladder.
This was done by inserting a syringe through the abdomen and siphoning off the urine. This wound was monitored by hospital physicians and on March 11th MRSA was detected. A number of treatments were carried out to fight the infection.
On March 19th Mr Ryan became hypertensive and on March 20th the MRSA virus was found in his blood. On April 8th he was transferred to Cork University Hospital where he died from MRSA septicaemia on April 25th.
Microbiologist Jim Clear told the court that MRSA was present in Ireland in 1980. The infection was only detected in three places in the world at the time - New York city, Australia and in Dublin. He said that at a later stage Cork University Hospital detected cases and in 1995 the number of cases there peaked.
Dr Liam Plant, a kidney specialist, recorded on Mr Ryan's death certificate that death was due to renal failure and MRSA septicaemia.
As the verdict was announced family members, including Mr Ryan's widow Eileen, embraced and wept.