Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 March 2006
194 Mr. Sargent asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the information which is available to her Department on the incidence of the MRSA virus in the general population; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12094/06]
Amharc ar fhreagraMethicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, is a bacteria and a resistant form of staphylococcus aureus. MRSA can exist without affecting people's health. Information on the incidence of such asymptomatic carriage is not routinely reported. For the purpose of the surveillance, prevention and control of this infection, the Health Protection Surveillance Centre collects data on MRSA bacteraemia as part of the European antimicrobial resistance surveillance system, which collects data on the first episode of blood stream infection per patient per quarter and was designed to allow comparison of antimicrobial resistance data between countries and possibly between regions.
Since 1 January 2004, MRSA bacteraemia has been included in the list of notifiable diseases under the Infectious Diseases Regulations 1981, as amended. The reporting process is done on a quarterly basis from laboratories to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre via the European antimicrobial resistance surveillance system. The cases reported by the centre refer to hospitalised cases and are not representative of the general population. MRSA infections occur almost exclusively in hospital practice in Ireland, among hospital inpatients or patients who have frequent contact with hospitals. Community-acquired MRSA infections are generally caused by strains of MRSA bacteria which are different to strains associated with hospitals. The national MRSA reference laboratory carried out a preliminary study in 2005 to look for evidence of community-acquired strains of MRSA in Ireland. It identified five patients with such strains, four of whom appear to have acquired the infection outside Ireland. Current evidence suggests that MRSA is still confined to hospitals in Ireland.
195 Mr. Sargent asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the steps recommended by her Department to those hospitals that provide accident and emergency services to the general population to protect against the transmission of the MRSA virus from the general population to the hospitalised population. [12095/06]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn the context of the 2006 Estimates and the 2006 HSE service plan, I wrote to the chairman of the board of the HSE setting out priorities for 2006. I highlighted the need to identify the necessary structures and processes which are required to control the emergence and spread of health care associated infections, including MRSA. The publication of the revised SARI guidelines on the control and prevention of MRSA in hospitals and the community, the clean hands campaign, the national hygiene audits and the development of national standards on infection control and hospital hygiene are some of the measures aimed at bringing about change in the hospital system. As the management and delivery of health and personal social services are the responsibility of the HSE, the Department of Health and Children has asked the parliamentary affairs division of the HSE to reply directly to the Deputy regarding the issues raised.
