C. difficile rates rise as MRSA falls
Hospitals are bringing down rates of MRSA infections
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Thursday, 17, Jul 2008 10:57
Rates of MRSA infection continue to fall in England while cases of Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) have risen since the end of 2007.
Figures released today by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) show that there was an 11 per cent decrease in cases of MRSA during January to March 2008 compared to the previous quarter (October to December 2007).
The total number of cases reported in the financial year 2007/2008 was 30 per cent less than in the financial year 2006/2007.
The HPA says this is the fourth annual decrease in MRSA and the most marked.
Dr Georgia Duckworth, head of the HPA's Healthcare-Associated Infection and Antimicrobial Resistance Department, commented: "The substantial drop we have seen in MRSA bloodstream infections over the past year is impressive and a credit to the hard work of our colleagues in the NHS, strengthening good practice in infection control.
"If we are to continue this reduction in healthcare associated infections it is vital that the measures which have won this significant success remain in place and that the public and healthcare workers recognise their importance."
While the picture is positive for MRSA, it is more mixed for C. difficile.
HPA figures reveal that there were 10,586 cases reported in patients aged 65 years and over between January and March 2008.
This represents a six per cent increase in reported cases in this age group from the previous quarter, October to December 2007, (9,993 cases).
But the number also reflects a 32 per cent reduction on the same quarter last year (15,644 cases).
Dr Duckworth said "major changes" have taken place to C. difficile reporting in the past year that have made it a "more robust" system that will measure the levels of the infection better.
Professor Peter Borriello, director of the HPA's Centre for Infections, added: "It is worth remembering that not all healthcare-associated infections are preventable.
"However, this shouldn't lead to complacency around tackling the infections that are preventable and engaging in the battle to continually drive down rates of healthcare associated infections. These figures show that there can be, and have been, significant reductions."