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Nearly 180 patients at UCLA's Ronald Reagan Medical Center may have been exposed to potentially deadly bacteria from contaminated medical scopes, and two deaths have already been linked to the outbreak. The Times has learned that the two people who died are among seven patients that UCLA found were infected by the drug-resistant superbug known as CRE — a number that may grow as more patients get tested. The outbreak is the latest in a string of similar incidents across the country that has top health officials scrambling for a solution. (Terhune, 2/18)

The University of California, Los Angeles, Health System said Wednesday that the deaths of two patients might be linked to a superbug known as CRE and that it has notified 179 patients they may have been infected. ... CRE, or carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, can break down antibiotics with a rare enzyme; authorities have called the bug “nightmare bacteria.” Part of a large family of bacteria, it typically lives in the intestines. It can be spread via fecal matter and isn’t typically transmitted by casual contact outside hospitals. (Emshwiller and Porter, 2/18)

Similar outbreaks of Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) have been reported around the nation. They are difficult to treat because some varieties are resistant to most known antibiotics. By one estimate, CRE can contribute to death in up to half of seriously infected patients, according to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Jablon, 2/19)