Overall drop in region’s hospital superbug cases
Oct 24 2008 by Chris Robinson, The Journal
Chris Robinson
(0191) 201-6003
chris.robinson@ncjmedia.co.uk
CASES of the potentially deadly hospital superbug Clostridium difficile have fallen in the region over the past six months. But despite the overall fall, County Durham and Darlington Foundation Trust saw cases double from 65 to 131 over the last three months.
Northumbria NHS Foundation Trust also saw a rise – with 115 cases compared to 96. Figures from the Health Protection Authority found 743 cases reported between April and June, compared to 765 in January to March, a fall of almost 3%.
The biggest drop was at Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, from 186 cases in the first three months of the year to 139 from the second three. South Tees also saw a big fall.
The data includes two sets of figures, reports of infections in patients aged two to 64 years and 65 years and over, where contraction can be more serious.
Clostridium difficile is a bacterium found in the gut. In healthy adults and children, it rarely causes problems. But people over the age of 65 years are more susceptible to contracting infection, particularly if they are on antibiotics which disrupt “normal” bacteria.
Last week The Journal revealed how an £18m research centre at Newcastle University is being built to help the global fight against hospital superbugs.
The Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, a specialist world-first facility, will allow medical experts to investigate, among others, how superbugs are able to beat off modern-day antibiotics.
Dr Roberta Marshall, acting regional director of the HPA in the North East, said: “This decrease is very welcome news and a major achievement by healthcare staff across the region.
“The challenge now is to maintain this reduction. We now have a more robust system for reporting Clostridium difficile that will enable us to measure the levels of this infection better and help trusts manage and monitor the effectiveness of their interventions to improve infection control.
“It is important to remember that not all healthcare-associated infections are preventable. The use of antibiotics in patients who are very sick can leave people susceptible to Clostridium difficile which would normally be easily kept at bay in healthy people.”
Maggie Kemmner, head of safety at the Healthcare Commission, said the figures were the first sign of progress, but more sustained reductions were needed before success can be claimed. But she said there were a number of other healthcare-associated infections which pose a risk to patients and warned: “Trusts must, therefore, never be complacent.”
It is important to remember that not all healthcare-associated infections are preventable.
