A baby hospitalized at Tsukuba University Hospital in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, had to have half of one of its hands and five fingers amputated after necrosis developed in the limb due to excessive injections of antibiotics, it was learned Friday.
According to officials of the Ibaraki Prefectural Government, the baby was infected with methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus and then admitted to the pediatric ward in July 1999.
Detailed information, including the baby's birth date, its gender and which hand was amputated is being withheld due to a request from the parents.
The infant was administered vancomycin to treat the infection, acquired at the hospital, but a doctor mistakenly instructed an intern to inject 250 mg of the antibiotic instead of 25 mg.