TOP NEWS:Jyoti Basu catches dangerous infection

Former West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu has contracted a bacterial infection, which could threaten his life further as it is resistant to all but three of the 40 antibiotics used in the country.

The acinetobacter bacteria poses a graver danger as Basu’s immunity levels are low at his advanced age of 96 years and could lead to septicemia, an infection of the blood, said pathologists who did not want to be named.

Basu, who was admitted to the AMRI Hospital here with pneumonia on January 1, seems to have caught the infection in the hospital, where his condition is still “very critical”.

“Basu is likely to have acquired the infection in the hospital. He had no such bacterial attack at his residence,” said a senior member of the medical team treating the former chief minister.

On Friday morning Ramola Chakravarty, widow of Subhas Chakravarty, former CPI-M minister in charge of transport, alleged negligence in the treatment of her husband. Chakravarty was admitted to the same hospital on July 27 and expired on August 3 last year.

“We will investigate if she writes to us,” said an AMRI spokesperson.

Pulmonologist Dr Sumit Sengupta, who is part of the eight-member team of specialists treating Basu, said, “The bacteria could also result from application of broad spectrum antibiotics that have been used on the 96-year-old leader since his admission.”