MRSA deaths at lowest level in more than two decades
DEATHS involving the drugresistant superbug MRSA are at their lowest level in more than two decades, it has been revealed.
Latest figures show there were 10 death certificates that mentioned meticillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Wales in 2016, a drop of more than half from 22 in 2015.
This was the lowest number since two in 1993.
Similarly, there were 79 death certificates mentioning Clostridium difficile (C difficile) in Wales in 2016, 29 fewer than in 2015 (108 deaths). This is the lowest number since 64 in 2001.
Staphylococcus aureus is bacteria that lives harmlessly on the skin and in the nose of humans without causing any harm.
It can cause mild to lifethreatening disease if there is an opportunity for it to enter the body through broken skin or a procedure requiring the use of an invasive medical device.
MRSA is a variety of staphylococcus aureus that is resistant to antibiotics known as beta-lactams.
This sometimes makes it more difficult to treat MRSA infections.
The concern about MRSA is in part due to the fact that it shows a higher degree of drug resistance than other types of staphylococcus aureus and also because it has become particularly associated with hospital-acquired infections.
In 1993, 7% of staphylococcus aureus infections mentioned on death certificates were reported as meticillin-resistant (MRSA).
There was a sharp increase in this proportion from 7% in 1993 to a peak of 89% in 2008, but since then the proportion has been decreasing to 35% in 2014, the lowest recorded since 1993.
In the period 2012 to 2016, the majority of deaths involving MRSA occurred in NHS hospitals (89%).
However, these deaths accounted for only 0.1% of all hospital deaths.
C difficile is a spore-forming bacterium which is present as one of the “normal” bacteria in the gut.
It can cause diarrhoea,ranging from a mild disturbance to very severe illness with ulceration and bleeding from the colon (colitis), and perforation of the intestine leading to peritonitis which can be fatal.
C difficile disease occurs when normal, healthy intestinal bacteria are subdued by the use of antibiotics.
This allows it to flourish in the gut and produce a toxin that causes diarrhoea.
Again, in the period 2012 to 2016, the majority of deaths involving C difficile occurred in NHS hospitals (91%). However, these deaths accounted for only 0.5% of all hospital deaths.