Intestinal Infection Detected Among Patients at the National Center for Mental Health Care

An intestinal infection has been identified among the 377 patients receiving inpatient treatment at the National Center for Mental Health Care (NCMHC), with 33 patients exhibiting symptoms. On October 13, 33 patients began experiencing diarrhea.

According to the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia, rapid response specialists, including epidemiologists, laboratory experts, and an infectious disease physician from Norq Infectious Hospital, arrived at the NCMHC. They conducted a comprehensive investigation and examined the patients.

Laboratory microbiological tests revealed no abnormalities in drinking water samples, and golden staphylococci were not found in environmental surface swabs. However, bacterial testing of three preserved food samples from the previous day, specifically an egg dish with tomatoes, revealed enteroinvasive Escherichia coli (EIEC) from the OKD group, and a PCR test detected DNA of Shigella spp/EIEC.

Among the 33 patients with diarrhea and the 60 contacts, laboratory investigations revealed Shigella Flexneri II in four individuals and enteroinvasive Escherichia coli in another four. Based on the findings, treatment has been provided to a total of 18 individuals.

Currently, four patients are receiving appropriate medication, and their condition has significantly improved. Two patients remain at Norq Infectious Clinical Hospital, and their condition is assessed as stable.

Additional large-scale sanitary-hygienic measures are being implemented at the hospital, with all patients under continuous professional observation. Organizational efforts are underway to prevent further transmission and spread of the infection.

Inspections are being conducted by the supervisory bodies of the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Food Safety, which will identify the sources of the outbreak of intestinal infections among patients receiving inpatient treatment at the NCMHC.