Rare infection kills second patient

Feb 19 2010

A second elderly patient has died after contracting a rare infection, health chiefs have announced.

The 82-year-old man developed Group A streptococcal infection in Liberton Hospital, Edinburgh, two weeks ago. He had received antibiotics for the illness but went on to suffer further complications.

It is the second death associated with the infection, which is caused by a bacteria usually found living harmlessly on the skin, nose or throat. An 86-year-old woman at the hospital died a fortnight ago.