FOUR babies have been identified as having bacteria on their skin connected to the infection that led to the deaths of two premature babies in a hospital intensive care.

The babies died in January after contracting a strain of the staphylococcus aureus bacterium at the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital in Glasgow.

A third baby in the unit also received treatment after also contracting the blood stream infection.

Now NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde through further screening have identified four babies who have the bacteria on their skin. None of the babies were said to be infected and none need treatment for S. Aureus, the board said.

The Herald:

Health chiefs confirmed that all four cases were discovered at the PRMH.  One baby is understood to have been transferred to the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley.

The health board confirmed that it was the first time the T11164 strain had been identified in Scotland. Previous cases have only been identified in two other countries worldwide.

READ MORE: Two babies die after being treated for infection at Princess Royal

A health board spokesman said: "As part of our rigorous management of three cases of staphylococcus aureus infection at the PRMH, we have identified that this is an extremely rare strain which is highly resistant to the two antibiotics normally prescribed for S. Aureus.

"It is also resistant to the skin cleaning agent routinely used in hospitals across the UK.

We have continued to screen babies in our three neonatal units and there have been no further cases of infection.

"Through our screening we have however identified four babies who have the bacteria on their skin (known as colonised). None of these babies are infected and none need treatment for S. Aureus.

"We have also put in place a number of further infection control measures including staff screening, the prescribing of different antibiotics and the introduction of a new skin cleaning agent."

Dr Alan Mathers, the chief of medicine, women's and children's services at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, previously said medics may never find out what caused the infection.

He said the two dead infants were born very prematurely and had been among the "most vulnerable patients" in the country.

He said the third baby who also has the infection is "not giving us any cause for concern at all".