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Have you ever been admitted to the hospital for surgery or illness? Have you ever caught an infection unrelated to your surgery or illness? If so, you have been the victim of a nosocomial infection also known as hospital-acquired infections.
C. difficile, MRSA (methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus), are well known, but there are many others.
Do you know that you have more chances to die from a nosocomial infection than from a car accident?
Every year in Quebec, 90 000 people are afflicted by these infections and, of that number, 4000 die immediately.
A minimum of 50% of these infections could be avoided by better prevention and control measures such as strict hand hygiene.
Nosocomial infections are also very costly to the health system. On average they cost 180 millions dollars yearly.
By joining ADVIN you contribute to the promotion of safe care and quality hospitals.
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Written by Christine Besson
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Monday, 05 September 2005 |
The term ‘superbug'
usually refers to bacteria that have acquired drug resistance and are hence
more difficult to treat because the treatment options are limited. Specific
antibiotic resistance is not generally a problem for C. difficile.
However, the new type of C.difficile that spread in many Québec hospitals in 2003/ 2004 and was the cause of an epidemic( that is far from being over) is extremely toxic: it is the type 027
What is type 027 and why is it of concern?
Type 027 produces much
more of the toxins than most other types because a mutation has knocked out the
gene that normally restricts toxin production. It causes a greater proportion
of severe disease and appears to have a higher mortality. It also seems to be very
capable of spreading between patients.
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Written by Christine Besson
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Sunday, 14 August 2005 |
In the United-Kingdom and in the USA, patients are also starting to get organized.
In 2002, a support group was founded in the UK by Tony Field, himself a survivor of MRSA: mrsa survivor group.
600 members have now joined this association which campaigns to "bring the subject of hospital acquired infections to the forefront and express some of the unease and alarm of the general population at the smooth reassurance uttered by health professionals".
In the United-States, two associations that has the same objectives :" A group of people dedicated to raising awareness about MRSA infections and how to help prevent them!"
Handsofhopegroup.com
and MRSA patients,survivors and supporters
Our three associations have now decided to work together.
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Latest News
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Written by Hayley Wynn
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Saturday, 13 August 2005 |
A very relevant article! 
Publication authorized by Statelin.org
Wednesday, August 10, 2005 :: infoZine
Staff :: page views
Faced with a
modern-day medical challenge, states increasingly are taking steps to track the
number of patients who acquire serious infections while hospitalized.
Eight states - including four with new laws this year - now require hospitals
to track the number of patients who acquire staph and other infections while
hospitalized, amid indications that the cost of these medical complications -
in both dollars and lives - is mounting.
Last month, Pennsylvania became the first state to release statistics on
hospital-acquired infections. The Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment
Council reported that 11,668 patients contracted infections at hospitals in the
state in 2004, resulting in 1,800 deaths and $2 billion in medical costs.
These new totals suggest that infections' impact on the health-care system
might exceed predictions. The Centers for Disease Control previously estimated
that hospital-acquired infections each year add $5 billion to U.S. health costs
and result in 88,000 deaths - more fatalities than in highway accidents
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Written by Christine Besson
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Thursday, 16 June 2005 |
 CUPE, the Canadian Union of Public Employees in Ontario launches a campaign to tackle the spread of hospital-acquired infections in Ontario.
CUPE stresses the fact that hopital-acquired infections are the 4th biggest killer in Canada with 8000 to 12 000 deaths per year.
Over 30% of these infections are preventable.
CUPE calls on the Province to:
- legislate mandatory reporting of hospital-acquired infections at all hospitals in Ontario.
- initiate an immediate review of infections control and cleaning protocols at all hospitals.
- Adequately fund hospitals so they can hire more cleaners.
Meticulous cleaning in the key to reduce infections.
CUPE will tour the province with a mobile hospital room display to raise awareness in communities about the threat of hospital-acquired infections.
A hotline - 1 888 599 0770 - is already active to inform patients and the public at large.
Congratulation for this courageous and realistic campaign!
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Latest News
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Written by Christine Besson
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Thursday, 16 June 2005 |
According to the latest figures issued by the Department of Health in June 05, 995 patients died of C. difficile in 2004 and 934 of the MRSA.
The C. diff. shows an alarming increase of 38% over the last two years (2003-04). Sanitary authorities are worried by the rise of C. diff. considered much more difficult to eradicate from hospitals wards than MRSA. Patients are easily contaminated.
this new strain of C. difficile is similar to the one infecting Québec and Canadian hospitals. MRSA, the most well known hospital-acquired infection which has received tremendous attention in the last 5 years in the UK account for an average of 7000 infections per year, whereas C. diff. infected over 43 672 patients in 2004.
MRSA was an issue in the last election campaign and has become a major public issue: there is not one week without a report on MRSA in the British press. The department of Health has launched a serious program to tackle MRSA.
For more information on this program click here.
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