Superbug vaccine hope

Link: Superbug vaccine hope.

Vaccination will have an important role to play in the future in fighting the hospital 'superbug' MRSA, according to an Irish researcher. Dr Timothy Foster of the Moyne Institute at TCD says a number of companies are developing products intended for active or passive immunisation against Staphylococcus aureus, commonly known as MRSA. Writing in the latest edition of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Dr Foster said that an increased understanding of how the staphylococcus aureus bug colonises the nostrils could allow for improved methods for controlling nasal and skin carriage. Dr Foster says about 20% of the population are always colonised with the MRSA bug, 60% are intermittent carriers and 20% never carry the organism. According to his article, hospital patients who are catheterised or who have been treated surgically have a significantly higher rate of MRSA infection.