Herpes deaths: Nothing clinically to suggest women had virus, inquest told

Samantha Mulcahy (left) and Kimberley Sampson died weeks apart after being operated on by the same surgeon

A microbiologist has told an inquest he saw "nothing clinically to suggest" a woman herpes a short time before her death.

Kim Sampson and Samantha Mulcahy died with the virus in 2018.

Both had undergone Caesarean deliveries carried out by the same obstetrician, six weeks apart.

Dr Matthew Strutt, who looked into both cases, said he considered whether he had "missed an opportunity" to raise concerns that Mrs Mulcahy had herpes.

Ms Sampson's baby boy was delivered at the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital in Margate, run by the East Kent Hospitals University NHS Trust, in May 2018,

In July, first-time mother Mrs Mulcahy died from an infection caused by the same virus at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford, run by the same trust.

Dr Strutt said he had double checked for any signs including marks of cold sores, but felt reassured there were none consistent with herpes.

However, he added: "Following the very rapid outcome, this conversation was etched on my memory, whether I missed an opportunity to make an intervention."

He went on: "It's hard because, could I have done something different, should I have done something different?

"But at that point there was little evidence."

However, he spoke of giving the possibility of herpes "consideration" because of Ms Sampson's earlier case.

'Signs of herpes'

Dr Srinivasulu Reddy, another microbiologist, said he initially believed Ms Mulcahy showed signs of bacterial sepsis, perhaps caused by an antibiotic failure.

She died at the end of the month in hospital in London.

He said "in hindsight" there were signs of herpes before her death that scientists "should have thought about", such as her semi-consciousness.

The trust did try to "learn from these cases" by introducing guidance on what to do in similar future scenarios, the inquest was told.

In March, the Mid Kent and Medway Coroner, Catherine Wood, accepted an application from the trust to give anonymity to the surgeon common to both cases.

The inquest continues.

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