MRSA up C.diff down

24th, April 2008

Health Protection Agency figures show a rise in MRSA and a decline in clostridium difficile.

The Agency’s October to December 2007 figures show an 8% reduction in clostridium difficile in patients aged 65 and over. They also show a small rise in MRSA cases (0.6%) 7 extra cases reported since the previous quarter.

The agency said that there were ‘limitations’ to the clostridium difficile figures because they do not reflect the new C.diff reporting system that has been in place since 1 January 2008.

Speaking to Legal and Medical a Health Protection Agency spokesman said:

“The new reporting system will be reflected in the next quarter’s figures which will convey a more accurate representation of the situation.”

Dr Georgia Duckworth, Head of the Agency’s Healthcare-Associated Infection and Antimicrobial Resistance Department, said:

“Although the C.difficile figures this quarter may not be as accurate as we would like because of these changes, it was important not to disrupt the publication cycle and we strongly support the refinements to the data collection because these will make the surveillance more robust.

“Over the last year cases of MRSA bloodstream infection have been steadily falling. We would obviously like to have seen the trend continued in this quarter and hope that ongoing surveillance will show that this plateau is not indicative of a levelling trend, but we need to see next quarter’s figures.”

MRSA up C.diff down

Health Protection Agency figures show a rise in MRSA and a decline in clostridium difficile.

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