Trust denies Altnagelvin MRSA infections

MRSA under the microscope. The Western Trust says no-one is infected in Altnagelvin at present although some patients may be colonised.

The Sentinel asked about superbug infections in the Londonderry hospital after a member of the public told the paper a loved one had been diagnosed with MRSA - the full name for which is meticillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus. The bug, which is carried on the skin, nostrils and throat, can be life-threatening if it gets into the blood system. But a Trust spokesperson said no-one was ‘infected’ by the bug.

“The Western Trust does not currently have any patients at Altnagelvin with an MRSA infection. For the period 1 April 2012 to 14 March 2013 there were a total of five confirmed MRSA infections at Altnagelvin Hospital,” a spokesperson stated.

The spokesperson said the Trust has one of the best MRSA bacteraemia reduction performance in Northern Ireland.

The authority routinely screens patients on admission who are considered high risk of carrying MRSA.

“Most patients who are confirmed as having MRSA are not infected but are colonised which means they are carrying it on their person,” the spokeperson stated.

“Trust’s screening procedures enable the Trust to identify patients with MRSA and treat appropriately whilst implementing infection control measures as required. There could be a number of patients in hospital at any given time who are colonised with MRSA,” the spoksperson added.

However, the Altnagelvin rate of infection for this year so far - five people infected - is close to the number of people infected across the entire Western Trust in the 2011/12 financial year.

The total number of episodes the Western Trust in 2009/10 was 11; in 2010/11 its was 15 and in 2011/12 it was 7.

The Trust is asking members of the public to cooperate with standard infection control measures.