Potentially fatal respiratory infection found

THE first reported cases of a potentially fatal infection affecting the respiratory system of young children and the elderly has been confirmed in Ireland.

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) has revealed that three out of nine patients who contracted human adenovirus serotype 14P1 (HAdV-14p1) over the past 18 months subsequently died.

The HPSC reported the first nine confirmed cases were identified at various locations around the country between October 2009 and July 2010.