Babies carrying superbug in Vic hospital

Doctors are working to contain a potentially dangerous superbug after eight babies were detected carrying the gut bacteria at a Melbourne hospital.

Eight babies have been detected carrying an antibiotic resistant gut bacteria in a Melbourne neonatal ward.

Vancomycin resistant enterococcus, a bowel bacteria often resistant to antibiotics, was discovered in the babies in the neonatal intensive care ward at the Monash Children's Hospital during routine testing over the past week.

The hospital said the babies have been colonised but not infected, meaning the bacteria remains in the gut and has not spread, and extra cleaning and hygiene procedures have been put in place to prevent further cases.