Herpes deaths: Caesareans likely source of herpes, inquest told

The apt root of herpes infections successful 2 mothers was during the surgical procedures to present their babies, an inquest has heard.

Kim Sampson, 29, and Samantha Mulcahy, 32, died successful 2018 successful hospitals tally by the East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust.

The aforesaid obstetrician carried retired their Caesareans 7 weeks apart, the inquest has heard.

A herpes specializer said the accidental they had picked up the microorganism earlier being admitted was "vanishingly small".

Ms Sampson died aft giving commencement astatine the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital (QEQM) successful Margate, and Ms Mulcahy died astatine the William Harvey Hospital successful Ashford.

Peter Greenhouse, a gynaecologist and venereologist with an expertise successful the herpes virus, told the inquest the microorganism samples taken from some women were "exceptionally intimately related but they were not identical".

He told the inquest successful Maidstone determination were precise tiny differences successful the viral genome which showed determination had been nary contamination of the samples.

He said determination was a precise precocious accidental determination had been a communal root of infection.

Mr Greenhouse said: "Unquestionably the astir apt clip was during the surgical procedure."

Evidence from the station mortem, Mr Greenhouse added, indicated the herpes microorganism had been introduced into the abdomen alternatively than having dispersed done the body.

He said the mode of corruption could person been done sweat and saliva, oregon the usage of fingers during the surgery, but however it got into the abdomen helium admitted was "pure conjecture".

Mr Greenhouse said the wearing of gloves and masks did not region the anticipation of infection.

He said that since 2014 determination had lone been 2 specified deaths - those of Ms Sampson and Ms Mulcahy - retired of 6.4 cardinal pregnancies.