ABOUT 20 cases of the infection, serratia septicaemia, are diagnosed weekly in Irish hospitals, Prof Sean McCann of the Blood Transfusion Service Board said yesterday.
Doctors still do not know what causes it. The infection is characterised by body spasms and other symptoms but usually responds quickly to antibiotics.
Prof McCann was commenting on the decision by the board to reintroduce blood bags which it earlier thought might have caused the infection in one case at a Dublin hospital.
An investigation concluded there was no evidence of bacterial contamination of the bags.
