Figures released this week by the Office for National Statistics showed that 57 people died at the Wrexham Maelor hospital from 2001-2007, while suffering from superbug clostridium difficile, or C-diff.

The number of C-diff related deaths has risen across the UK, with Wrexham facing by far the highest levels in North Wales, when compared with Glan Clwyd hospital, Bodelwyddan, with a six-year total of 16 deaths, and the Maelor's C-diff deaths almost doubled in just one year, with 11 being recorded in 2006 and 21 in 2007.

However, the ONS points out that the statistics released can only show where a person died, not where they contracted the superbug. It also states that other factors may have played a part in the deaths and that some hospitals are more likely to record C-diff on death certificates than others.

The superbug is a severe infection of the colon, which often occurs when normal gut bacteria is eradicated by use of antibiotics.

C-diff bacteria naturally resides in the body, but when it becomes overgrown the bacteria releases toxins that cause harm. Elderly people are more susceptible to the condition and it is more likely to prove fatal for them.

A spokesman for the North East Wales NHS Trust said: "Wrexham Maelor hospital has always adopted a very rigorous approach to testing for, and reporting, the presence of healthcare associated infections, even where these are not linked to the cause of death.

"The way these figures are calculated is being considered nationally and we expect a consistent approach will be introduced.

"However, we must stress we take infection control very seriously, and have seen a reduction in the overall number of infections of C-diff, from an average of 44 cases per month at the Maelor in 2006 to around 21 per month this year."

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