Clostridium difficile down 21% , MRSA down 14% in new Quarterly HPA figures for England

Health Protection Agency: Quarterly Clostridium difficile and MRSA figures

The HPA figures released today show the most remarkable reduction in Hospital Acquired Infections (HAI) in England.

The latest Clostridum difficile figures, show that there was a 21% decrease to 10,734 cases in patients aged 65 years and over in England, for Q3 2007 (July – September) down from 13,699 in the previous Q2 2007(April – June) and 16% / 2,087 cases down on Q2 2006.

For atients 2 -62 , 2,496 cases were reported in the Q3 2007 (July – September) a 14% drop on the Q2 2007 (April – June).

The latest figures on MRSA bloodstream infections show that there were 1,072 cases reported in England during the July to September quarter of 2007. This represents an 18% decrease on the previous quarter (April to June) when 1,304 reports were received. (HPA Press Release)

Dr Georgia Duckworth , Head of the Agency's Healthcare-Associated Infection and Antimicrobial Resistance Department, said that whilst these figures should be interpreted with care as the surveillance system is undergoing significant changes, “This continued decrease in MRSA bloodstream infections is a major achievement against the seemingly unstoppable rise that we saw throughout the 1990s. Latest figures show a continuing downward trend, despite a backdrop of increasing workloads and complex patient needs.”

Unsurprisingly those Trusts reporting reduction in infections were anxious to spread the good news in their local press ... It does demonstrate that effective action can (and is being taken) be taken.

Hospital 'winning superbug battle'

Royal Bolton Hospital managers welcomed Health Protection Agency (HPA) figures showing the number of Clostridium difficile cases fell by 21 % to 151 in the last 6 months compared with 190 in 2006.

Killer bug cases fell by 100 in last year

Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust announced that HPA data reveal 413 cases of Clostridium difficile 2005, 434 in 2006 and have fallen to 333 in 2007.

WHIPPS CROSS: Hospital infections drop

The number people aged 65 or over catching Clostridium difficile had increased at Whipps year by year, reaching 403 in 2006 = this has fallen and from Jan-Sept in 2007 there were 168.

Drop in number of MRSA incidents

The East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust showed a 37% reduction in recorded cases of Clostridium difficile, from 474 in 2006, to 300 in 2007.Two specialist isolation wards - one at Lister and one at the QEII - were launched in the last 6 months to help combat MRSA and CD.

HOSPITAL REPORTS A DROP IN CASES OF C-DIFF BUG

Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital has seen a small decrease in recorded cases of Clostridium difficile from July to September 2007 for patients older than 65...and a small increase in patients aged two to 64 with the bug.