A coroner has issued a warning after hearing a woman died of an infection when a vaccine needle pushed bacteria on her skin deep into her arm.

Patricia Lines received a vitamin B12 jab in her right shoulder at a GP surgery on October 17 last year, and was later diagnosed with an ‘Invasive Group A Streptococcus Infection’, known as Strep A.

Doctors treated her but the 77-year-old died a week later on October 23, 2023.

An inquest into her death at Crook Coroners' Court last week heard the vitamin injection was the most likely source of the infection.

A post-mortem examination said it was likely streptococcus bacteria was on her skin when she received the injection, and it was introduced into the deeper tissues when the jab was administered.

The inquest was told national guidance is that an injection site does not have to be cleaned before a jab if the skin looks clean.

An inquest was heard at Crook Coroners' Court.An inquest was heard at Crook Coroners' Court. Assistant Coroner Rebecca Sutton has since issued a warning, saying she fears further deaths could occur if procedure is not changed to clean the skin before jabs.

She wrote: “The nurse who administered the injection gave evidence that she did not clean the skin prior to administering the injection.  She did not do so because she was following both her training and national guidance.

“I heard at the inquest that alcohol wipes are relatively cheap, and their use does not give rise to any significant risk. I note that the [national guidance] states cleaning the skin with alcohol reduces the bacterial count.

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“Common sense would seem to suggest that reducing the bacterial count would reduce the risk of bacteria being inadvertently introduced into the deeper tissues during an injection.”

The coroner has since filed a prevention of future deaths report to the UK Health Security Agency, Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England, saying: “In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths could occur unless action is taken.”

A jury concluded Patricia’s death was an accident.