Authorities in Italy have opened a criminal investigation after two premature infants died hours apart at a hospital in Bolzano, with officials linking the fatalities to a bacterial infection possibly stemming from contaminated dishwashing soap.

According to a CNN report, the babies passed away on the night between August 12 and 13 at San Maurizio Hospital in the northern city of Bolzano. Both newborns, born three weeks prior, had been diagnosed with an infection caused by the germ Serratia Marcescens, which officials connected to the hospital's industrial dish soap.

The infants included one born in the 23rd week of gestation and another in the 27th week, each weighing approximately 700 grams or about 1.54 pounds. This microbe, while common in environments like water and soil, poses significant risks only to those with weakened health, making it particularly deadly for extremely premature babies with immature immune systems.

Hospital Recalls Contaminated Soap Supplies

Josef Widmann, medical director of the South Tyrolean Health Authority, announced during a Thursday news conference that the entire supply of industrial dish soap across the Bolzano hospital system has been recalled due to its suspected role in the infections. He explained that the germ Serratia Marcescens is widespread in nature, including in plants, animals, and humans, but becomes lethal when it infects vulnerable patients like these newborns.

“In addition to the serious problems resulting from their extreme prematurity, both children were diagnosed with an infection by Serratia marcescens, a germ widespread in the environment, present in water, soil, plants, animals and humans, among other things,” Widmann stated in the conference. “This germ is generally harmless to healthy individuals; however, for very premature babies, the infection is potentially lethal.”

The recall aims to prevent further incidents, as the soap's contamination appears to have facilitated the spread of the bacterium in the neonatal intensive care unit. Hospital officials emphasized that while the germ is not uncommon in such settings, the extreme vulnerability of premature infants heightens the danger from even routine exposures.

Neonatal Ward Halts High-Risk Admissions

Dr. Monika Zaebisch, the acting medical director of Bolzano Hospital, revealed that the facility has ceased accepting high-risk premature babies into its neonatal ward amid the ongoing probe. To safeguard other patients, the hospital is relocating 10 high-risk infants from the affected ward to a separate area free from potential contamination.

“At the Bolzano hospital, we have implemented all preventive measures to prevent the transmission of germs,” Zaebisch said on Thursday. “The ward staff strictly adheres to hygiene measures. Unfortunately, these two cases could not be prevented.”

Zaebisch further noted that on August 12, the decision was made to redirect future high-risk births elsewhere. The hospital has coordinated with Trento Hospital to handle such cases temporarily, ensuring no additional children face unnecessary risks during the investigation.

Officials Identify Infection Symptoms Quickly

Hospital director Pierpaolo Bertoli stated that medical staff detected the infection in both babies as soon as symptoms appeared, but the condition rapidly progressed to sepsis. This severe response ultimately led to the infants' deaths, highlighting the challenges of treating such fragile patients in intensive care environments.

“Unfortunately, the babies later developed sepsis, which later proved fatal,” Bertoli explained during the Thursday news conference. “The presence of this bacterium is not unique because it constantly poses a risk to neonatal intensive care units, not so much because of the type of germ but because of the particular vulnerability of these little patients due to their immature immune systems.”

Bertoli pointed out that Serratia Marcescens infections are a persistent threat in neonatal units worldwide due to the patients' underdeveloped defenses. Despite strict protocols, the combination of prematurity and bacterial exposure proved overwhelming in these instances.