In late March, 2011, 19 patients in six Alabama hospitals were infected with a deadly bacteria called serratia marcescens bacteremia.  The outbreak was first identified on March 16, when two hospitals reported unusual cases of bacterial infections among high-risk patients. Nine of the patients later died from their infections. All but one of the hospitals were in the Birmingham area.

Investigators believe that the patients were infected with the deadly bacteria through intravenous feeding.  It appears that each of the infected patients received an intravenous feeding solution manufactured by Birmingham, Alabama-based Meds IV.