Comparison of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus in Hospitals the United Kingdom and Spain - Essay Example

Comparison of MRSA between hospitals in UK and Spain Comparison of MRSA between hospitals in UK and Spain Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) is an infection caused by a strain of staph bacteria that has relatively become resistant to the antibiotics used to treat an ordinary staph contamination. MRSA infections mostly occur in people who have stayed in health facilities or hospitals or other health care situations. MRSA (HA-MRSA) is an infection that occurs settings like dialysis centers and nursing homes. HA-MRSA infections are commonly linked to invasive devices or procedures, such as surgeries, artificial joints or intravenous tubing. Another form of MRSA infection occurs in the broader society setting among healthy people. The society-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA), frequently starts as a painful skin boil. Thereafter, it spreads through skin-to-skin contact (Ayliffe & English, 2003). Groups such as child care workers, people living in congested and contaminated places as well as conditions high school are prone to this infection. It is relatively difficult to treat MRSA infections than most strains of staphylococcus Aureus due to its resistance to some of the antibiotics that are commonly used. The resistance of antibiotics can happen in several ways. Strains of bacteria can mutate and over a long period develops resistance to a certain antibiotic (Bischofberger, 2011). Similarly, if one is treated with an antibiotic, there is a high chance that it will destroy many of the undamaging strains of bacteria that live on and in the body. Thus, allowing resistant bacteria to multiply rapidly and take their place in the body. Recently, the overuse of antibiotic is the primary reason why there is resistance of antibiotic and superbugs (Weigelt, 2008). Others factors are; not completing recommended doses of antibiotics and also using antibiotics to treat minor situations that could have been well without using such them. The concern about the effects of hospital-acquired infections has a significant European dimension. It has been projected that 8 to 12% of the patients admitted to hospitals within the European states suffer from severe infections while receiving medication (McCartney & Health Protection Agency, 2009). The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) stated that about 4.1 million patients in EU are affected (European Commission, 2009). According to ECDC, this infection result to the deaths of 37,000 people per year. Another concern is the use of multi-drug resistant bacteria in various health care institutions. The possibility of developing MRSA in a care homes or hospitals is very high. The key reason behind this fact is that people in hospitals are vulnerable due to some openings that can allow bacteria to enter their body (Costigliola, 2012). These points are; burns, surgical wounds, an intravenous tube or catheter. For this matter, when a person infected with MRSA bacteria touches the open points, they can infect themselves. Furthermore, older people with more complex health problems than the general population are relatively more vulnerable and can get infected easily. Another group of people prone to this infection is the one in a congested environment or surrounded by a dense number of both staff and patients (Kolendi, 2010). This condition gives the bacteria a viable route to spread from patient to patient or from an object to another person. In several UK hospitals, MRSA remains an endemic. This is because the prevention and control of this infections result to severe illness and leads to substantial additional healthcare costs. According United Kingdoms Health Protection Agency (2004), there is a reduction of 6.4 % of the number of cases of MRSA in the entire England. Precisely, approximately 1444 cases were reported between January and April, 2007. Comparatively, 1542 cases were reported in the first quarter of 2006. London recorded the biggest reduction of MRSA. In the larger Europe, UK has the highest rates of hospital-acquired infection (Hogea, 2014). In this regard, it is depicted that Clostridium difficile and MRSA infections together have caused the death of 16 500 people starting 2004. At present, the MRSA costs the UKs National Health Service (NHS) about £1 billion per year. On the other hand, like any other European countries, Spain has recorded several cases of MRSA. The MRSA cases are widespread in many Spanish hospitals and are progressively seen in community health care units such as nursing homes (Gould, Rollason & Fielder, 2008). According to the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (EARSS), Spain has a higher incidence of MRSA infections as compared to other European countries such as the UK and Netherlands. MRSA has been rampant in several Spanish hospitals. In both the United Kingdom and Spain, MRSA infection is a key cause of hospital-acquired infections that are becoming progressively hard to deal with due to emerging resistance to all current antibiotic classes (Ayliffe & English, 2003). The genesis of the cause of this infection has no rational nomenclature, poorly understood and there is no solid consensus on the number of chief MRSA clones or the relatedness of those clones from the two countries. In Spain, for example, the first nosocomial outbreak of MRSA was detected in 1981. However, it was not a serious issue until a severe outbreak was detected in Spanish major cities (Pérez-Roth, 2014). More importantly, the noted outbreaks of the infection originated from Iberian clone, which was detected in Barcelona (Bischofberger, 2011). This infection showed great resistance to various antibiotics such as quinolones, tetracyclines, aminoglycosides and macrolides. In the late 1990s, the clone was increasingly supplemented by other MRSA close characterized by less multidrug resistance. A surveillance study done in 2002 indicated a progressive increase in the ratio of MRSA isolates in Spain; from 1.5% in 1986 to 31.2% in 2002. The Majorca outbreak marked the change of both clinical and microbiological aspect when handling MRSA infections (Tritter, Koivusalo & Ollila, 2010). The principal objective of the present researches was to examine the current data regarding the molecular susceptibility of the different MRSA clone types and epidemiology circulating in Majorcan hospitals in Spain. UK hospitals have been in the forefront in the fight against MRSA infections as well as other hospital acquired infections (Smith & Yago, 2010). The MRSA infection rates are low in the UK as compared in Spain. In essence, especially in London, private hospitals report relatively few cases of MRSA infections. It is important to note that, MRSA have caused havoc in terms of healthcare settings, as well as sociological health in the developed world (Mick, 2010). The UK, just like Spain and other European nations saw infections rates shoot up during the 1990s to early 2000s. Moreover, other hospital-acquired strains of Clostridium difficile were also noted to pose a serious problem. According to the latest statistics by National Protection Agency (NPA), the infection rates in the UK, showed 80% decrease in NHS Trust hospitals between July to September 2010, as compared to 2003/2004 report. This decrease is much higher than the 28% reduction reported in hospitals in Spain between 2005 and 2008. The major set of private hospitals in the UK such as Abbey Hospitals, Spire Healthcare, BMI Healthcare and HCA International have in the recent past reported very few cases of MRSA infections (Trindade, McCulloch, Oliveira & Mamizuka, 2003). Additionally, large interdependent private hospitals in London including the London clinic and Portland Hospital also reported almost zero infection rates (Weigelt, 2008). For instance, the London Clinics published a rate for Clostridium difficle that was less than 33 cases per 100,000 bed days. In a study done in three Spains major public hospitals; Hospital Universitari Son Dureta, Hospital Son Llatzer and Hospital de Manacor, a high prevalence of 32% of the epidemic MRSA was found. This is a clear indication that hospitals in Spain are more vulnerable to MRSA infections as compared to the UK. Cases related to MRSA infections cause substantial mortality and morbidity, and are approximated to cost UK National Health Service about one billion pounds per annum. The present health care infection rates depict that the extend of performance to eliminate MRSA infection is not maintained consistently (Weston, 2008). Improving local accountability, health economy, increasing screening and performance management, improved hand washing, and careful use of antibiotics will be effective in minimizing these infections. Against this background, there is no doubt to conclude that the UK has employed more mitigation strategies to combat MRSA infection than Spain (Kolendi, 2010). Nonetheless, the two states; Spain and United Kingdom, have the policies and guidelines that govern different health care institutions in the fight against MRSA, as well as other infections. Whereas, not all MRSAs infections are unavoidable, a significant portion can be prevented. The Department of Health (DH) in UK, approximated that 15-30% of the infections can be prevented. The same case in Spain, the best way to deal with MRSA, is early prevention. A set of infection control laws and policies have been highlighted to minimize the chances of acquiring MRSA infection. In both the UK and Spain, the policies relate to behavioral features; adherence to hygiene protocols and institutional aspects; workforce management (Busse, 2011). In the UK, the policies for combating this menace are enacted by respective Health Departments. Some of the strategies adopted in the policies include; regular assessments, legislative regulations, awareness campaigns, financial sanctions and incentives (Gould & Meer, 2005). However, the government approach to reducing MRSA infection have been criticized because they stress on short-term solutions and lacks full commitment towards developing better health care targets. Contrary to UKs health policies and strategies, Spains policies emphasizes on code of ethics in the attempt to deal with MRSA. In addition, the policies caution health care organizations to be rational in handling patients. The challenge facing health care policies in both countries is the lack of commitment from the central government. Health care is vital to the development of any economy (Fadeyi, 2012). Therefore, it is the mandate of the government to protect its citizens. It is the responsibility of everyone; managers, healthcare staff, visitors and patient to promote safe, clean care to help tackle MRSA infection. The dominant gap existing in the context of healthcare policies especially in Spain and the UK is limited research (Bischofberger, 2011). Indeed, research is a significant approach to boost in assessing alternative health care strategies. Some of the recommendations that should embrace to eradicate or reduce MRSA are; maintaining proper hygiene before and after contact with patients and health care institutions must maintain clean physical environment (World Health Organization, 2002). Similarly, managers should make effective strategies to prevent the patient congestion as well as providing adequate space between adjacent beds. It is also paramount for hospitals to have enough number of isolation rooms to help in the control of infection. In conclusion, hospitals in especially the two countries should possess the capacity to provide suitable bathroom facilities and hand hygiene to facilitate in phasing out and control large multi-bedded wards where possible. According to Professor Sir Liam Donaldson, the government of UK has sorted to look for alternative vaccines to destroy hospital superbugs. Another approach used by the UK and Spain is campaigning as well as creating awareness about MRSA. By creating awareness, the menace of this infection will be handled well. Typically, patients with MRSA infections in risk units such as intensive care units (ICU) should be isolated. Early detection of MRSA is crucial to prevent further spread. Studies on the worthiness and cost effectiveness of new techniques to infection detection are required. Furthermore, assessment of the financial impact in both Spain and UK of MRSA in hospitals, patients and community units must he enhanced for better healthcare. References Ayliffe, G. A., & English, M. P. (2003). Hospital infection: From Miasmas to MRSA. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Bischofberger, C. (2011). Control of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA): the impact of active surveillance for MRSA in a non-acute hospital in Madrid (Spain). BioMed Central. Busse, R. (2011). Diagnosis-related groups in Europe: Moving towards transparency, efficiency, and quality in hospitals. Maidenhead: Open University Press. 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