MRSA

Introduction

Much has been made of MRSA in the media. Often Trusts have difficulty getting good, clear information about MRSA to the public. The Royal Liverpool Children’s NHS Trust has decided to do something about this and has put together these pages giving some detailed information that explains exactly what MRSA is, how the Trust is proactively dealing with and helping to prevent the spread of the infection and some frequently asked questions and answers.

What is MRSA

MRSA stands for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus. Staphylococcus aureus (SA) is a common type of bacteria that can cause illness.  Methicillin is a powerful antibiotic drug.  MRSA includes several strains (types) of the SA germ that are more difficult to kill with powerful antibiotics.

Antibiotics have been very successful in killing many bacteria. However, some bacteria have become immune and have survived and multiplied. If you are on a course of antibiotics but do not complete it, it is likely that not all the bacteria will be killed, and then those that survive could develop a resistance to the drug. As more antibiotics are used, more strains of bacteria that are able to resist them have developed.

MRSA is harmless to most people and in fact many of us carry the germ on our skins without suffering any ill effects – this is called colonisation. Alder Hey patients who are colonised with MRSA are isolated from other patients by placing them in a cubicle. They are then treated with antiseptic washes, creams and topical treatments. These methods of treatment are very successful in getting rid of the MRSA colonisation. MRSA can be found as an ‘infection’ either in an open wound or sputum, but is readily treatable without causing a major problem. It is, however, serious when it occurs in the blood as MRSA bacteraemia.

Patients most at risk of developing bacteraemia MRSA are those suffering from severe trauma, extensive surgery or who are taking medication that suppresses their immune system. Patients with bacteraemia MRSA, like those who are colonised with MRSA, are isolated and treated with an antibiotic called Vancomycin (an antibiotic proven to be very successful in killing the MRSA germ). This is carefully controlled to prevent further resistance.

The Royal Liverpool Children’s NHS Trust has a uniquely proactive infection control approach. This includes regular monitoring of MRSA, training staff and educating children and parents. All staff are required to attend infection control training every 2 years.

Additionally we conduct targeted surveillance of patients who are transferred to Alder Hey to detect for colonisation of the MRSA.

Recent surveillance by the Department of Health confirms that our Trust has one of the lowest rates of MRSA bacteraemia in the country – 0.12% which equates to approximately 4 patients a year.

The Royal Liverpool Children’s NHS Trust takes cleanliness and risk infection very seriously and we are confident that we are taking every possible action to keep levels of MRSA infection among the lowest in the country.