Swine flu 'could lead to MRSA surge'

Tue Oct 20 2009 05:34:57

A second wave of swine flu could lead to a rise in MRSA infections, medics have warned.

Health experts said a swine flu pandemic would see a rise in hospital admissions, sparking a rise in MRSA cases.

The MRSA Working Group, together with National Concern for Healthcare Infection and the Patients Association, is calling for the early discharge of patients from hospital to try and prevent a rise in the killer superbug.

The group has written to all NHS hospital staff, reminding them to review their policy for the early discharge of MRSA patients.

It also urges hospitals not to let increasing pressure on staff and rising bed occupancy rates during winter to reverse the good work they have done to date to reduce superbug rates.

Department of Health research has shown that when a hospital's bed occupancy rate exceeds 90 per cent, MRSA rates can be as much as 40 per cent above average.

Katherine Murphy of The Patients Association, who co-signed the letter, said: "There is a real risk that swine flu patients may block isolation beds resulting in patients with healthcare infections such as MRSA being treated on general wards."

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