MORRIS, Ill., Aug. 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — “MRSA infections are rampant in the United States in healthcare facilities and in the community. The ongoing MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphyloccocus aureus) epidemic is fueling antibiotic resistance globally,” states Jeanine Thomas, founder of MRSA Survivors Network. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a current and dangerous global public health crisis and disaster.
Hand hygiene compliance in healthcare facilities in the United States is abysmal with 40% compliance by healthcare workers and only 30% by physicians. Decontamination of surfaces and the environment continues to be lax and lapses in infection control provide transmission to patients which can be potentially life-threatening.
A Bundled Approach
A comprehensive approach to controlling MRSA includes; active detection and isolation (ADI), strict adherence to hand hygiene, thorough decontamination of the environment and an antimicrobial resistant drug stewardship program. New and innovative products and technology must be used to combat infections.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) vastly underreports MRSA infection rates. Healthcare-acquired MRSA infections are a preventable medical error and have cost untold deaths and needless pain and suffering – healthcare facilities can no longer be complacent. Northern European countries have controlled MRSA to low numbers by screening patients for decades, yet the CDC does not recommend routine screening. The CDC should highly recommend that all high- risk patients be screened for MRSA as over 300 evidence-based studies recommend screening.
The Veterans Administration Leads the Way
The Veterans Health Administration has screened all their patients for MRSA since 2007 in their 150 facilities and reduced infections by over 80% – they are the gold standard.
11th Anniversary of World MRSA Day Event & C. difficile Summit
MRSA Survivors Network’s annual awareness campaign for World MRSA Day – October 2 and World MRSA Awareness Month – October will be a virtual event with expert speakers and survivors sharing their stories. The uplifting and educational video has the potential of reaching millions around the world. The Global theme is: ‘The Ongoing MRSA Epidemic – A Call to Action.’
Sponsors: Roche, Cepheid, Preventogen
