When a person contracts an infection while receiving medical treatment in a hospital, an outpatient clinic, nursing home or other health care setting, it is known as a Health Care Associated Infection (HCAI).
There are a number of different types of Health Care Associated Infections; MRSA is one type of Health Care Associated Infection. About 10% of all Health Care Associated Infections are MRSA infections.
While antibiotics can be used to treat the majority of Health Care Associated Infections, they are less effective against some bacteria such as MRSA, which is a type of Staphylococcus Aureus; hence its full name Meticillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus.
MRSA's resistance to antibiotics is the result of Ireland's above EU average level of antibiotic prescribing and pattern of prescribing broad spectrum antibiotics. These are the primary reasons for the recent increase in MRSA infections.
To reduce Health Care Associated Infections, and particularly MRSA, the health service, and people who come into contact with it, must focus on:
- Reducing the spread of infection; and
- Reducing and altering antibiotics usage.
This document, 'No to Infection', outlines the HSE's Infection Control Action Plan. The plan's 5-year objectives are:
- To reduce Health Care Associated Infections by 20%;
- To reduce MRSA infections by 30%; and
- To reduce antibiotic consumption by 20%.
Click here to view the full document: No to Infection.pdf (size 428 KB)
Click here to link to Health Care Associated Infection and Antimicrobial Data for Irish Hospitals, 2006-2007
Click here to link to HSE Oct Performance Monitoring Report Article on HCAI [PDF 67.7KB]
- Visit the Health Protection Surveillance Centre website for information on the all aspects of infectious disease in Ireland; including surveillance and independent advice, epidemiological investigation, research and training.
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Last updated on: 18 / 12 / 2009