MRSA UK 2006 Figures

Link: Health Protection Report | News | 2 February 2007.

Mandatory surveillance data on Clostridium difficile for January to September 2006 shows that there were 42,625 cases of Clostridium difficile infection in patients aged 65 years and over in England in the first three quarters of 2006 [1]. This represents an increase of 5.5% over the same period in 2005, when there were 40,390 cases reported. Although this is a smaller increase than seen previously (from 2004 to 2005 cases increased 17.2%), rates of infection remain high across England, particularly in small acute trusts, and the results show clearly the scope for improvement. The latest MRSA bacteraemia data show that there were 3391 MRSA bloodstream bacteraemias reported in England from April to September 2006, down 5.0% from the same period in 2005. The MRSA rate from April to September 2006 was 1.69 cases per 10,000 bed days, the same rate as was recorded during the first six months of mandatory surveillance (April to September 2001). Rates in the intervening periods fluctuated between 1.72 and 1.88 cases per 10,000 bed days. This is the first time the HPA has published quarterly figures for the mandatory surveillance of MRSA bloodstream infections and Clostridium difficile infection. Fgures will continue to be published on a quarterly basis as part of the commitment to open reporting. Due to this change in publication schedule and different start dates for the mandatory surveillance systems, the Clostridium difficile figures published today are for January to September 2006, and the MRSA figures for April to September 2006.