Latest figures for MRSA show there was a 6.4% fall in the number of cases of blood stream infection reported to the Health Protection Agency from January - March 2007.
There were 1,444 cases reported in England compared to 1,542 in the last quarter. This is a 28% reduction.
In January 2007, the Agency started publishing quarterly surveillance figures on Healthcare Associated Infection to help hospitals improve the responsiveness of their efforts to reduce infections.
These latest quarterly figures complete the full year's picture of MRSA bloodstream infections which have fallen by 10% over the course of the year. Between April 2006 – March 2007, 6,378 cases of MRSA bloodstream infections were reported, compared to 7,096 for the previous year. The biggest falls have been seen in London which previously had the highest number of cases, and in acute teaching trusts.
Dr Georgia Duckworth, head of the Agency's Healthcare Associated Infection & Antimicrobial Resistance Department, said: “ Certain hospitals have made great strides in bringing down their levels of MRSA bloodstream infection, for example, by targeting interventions at risk areas and procedures, such as indwelling devices. As a result they have managed to achieve significant reductions in the number of infections.
“Today, we have also published some preliminary information from an extension to the MRSA bloodstream infection surveillance scheme. The information shows that MRSA occurs more frequently in the elderly, with more than 77% of cases reported in those 60 years and over. This group may be particularly at risk from MRSA bloodstream infections since many of them experience both prolonged hospital stays and admission to specialist units. “