Group raises alarm about hospital germ

Published: June 25, 2007 at 11:12 AM

SAN JOSE, Calif., June 25 (UPI) -- A U.S. watchdog group Monday urged hospitals to more aggressively fight drug-resistant staph infections because they may be more common than thought.

Consumers Union said a new report released by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology found methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, infections in hospitals are 8.6 times more prevalent than previous estimates.

In addition, the superbug is found in all wards throughout most hospitals, according to the APIC report.

"MRSA is lurking in every U.S. hospital and poses a serious and sometimes deadly health risk to patients who are unwittingly exposed to these superbugs," said Lisa McGiffert, director of Consumers Union's Stop Hospital Infections Campaign.

"Unfortunately, most hospitals are not doing enough to keep these antibiotic-resistant germs in check," McGiffert added. "It's time for hospitals to aggressively step up their efforts to protect patients from these preventable infections."

McGiffert said effective control practices exist that can keep MRSA infections in check, but most U.S. hospitals are not consistently following them. She urged hospitals to invest the resources to protect patients from MRSA because it will ultimately save money and lives.

© 2007 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Order reprints



Additional News Stories
NBA: Memphis 116, Sacramento 105 (9 min)
NHL: Dallas 2, Carolina 0 (12 min)
NBA: San Antonio 112, Milwaukee 98 (13 min)
COL BKB: Purdue 73, Tennessee 72 (14 min)
UPI Sports Calendar for Tuesday, Nov. 24 (20 min)
COL BKB: Clemson 102, Winthrop 66 (43 min)
NHL: Boston 4, St. Louis 2 (45 min)
fark
Recent immigrants to Canada more likely to be male, younger, better educated, work for smaller companies...
Women with a spare tire are more likely to go all whargarbl as they age. As if heart disease, diabetes,...
This may be the worst police sketch in the history of police sketches
War crimes should be disallowed in video games, just like they are in books, TV, and movies
School board won't allow students to wear anti-Islam t-shirts. ACLU vows legal jihad on their behalf...
Rich town will install cameras to photograph every license plate entering town and instantly alert...