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MRSA / C.Difficile Update
1.
Airborne
MRSA:
A new study suggests that MRSA can be “…dispersed widely by wind currents.” University of Bath (UK)
Click here for more information on this study.
2.
Airborne
MRSA:
Letter
to The
Times.
"To be
truly
effective,
measures
to
contain
MRSA
must
block
airborne
transmission"
N.A.
Simmons
Emeritus
Consultant
Microbiologist
at the
Guy's
and St.
Thomas'
Hospital
Trust.
Click
here for
more
information
3. The
Royal
College
of
Nursing
-
Infection
Control:
"Airborne
Pathogens
cannot
travel
through
the air
unless
carried
on
airborne
particles.
Transmission
occurs
via:
i.
Respiratory
droplets
–
coughing
and
sneezing
may
transmit
large or
small
droplets
such as
in
Mycobacterium
tuberculosis
and
influenza.
ii.
Dust,
which
contains
skin
cells
and can
carry
bacteria
such as
Staphylococcus
aureus,
or
spores
such as
Clostridium difficile
and
Aspergillus."
Click here for more information
4.
MRSA and
Clostridium
Difficile:
Compensation
Claims
Increase.
Tuberculosis Update
Worldwide
Warning
of
Highly
Drug-Resistant
Tuberculosis.
New
forms of
highly
drug-resistant
tuberculosis
are
emerging
and
action
must be
taken
soon
before
they
become
widespread
globally,
says an
editorial
in this
week’s
British
Medical
Journal
(BMJ).
The
authors
say that
urgent
action
is
needed
to
implement
effective
tuberculosis
control
strategies,
especially
in
countries
where
tuberculosis
control
practices
have
been
inadequate.
More
information
here
Extensively
Drug-Resistant
Tuberculosis
(XDR-TB):
The
Facts
TB can
usually
be
treated
with a
course
of four
standard,
or
first-line,
anti-TB
drugs.
If these
are
misused
or
mismanaged,
multi-drug resistant
TB (MDR-TB)
can
develop.
Click
here for
more
information
Pandemic Flu Update
Human Source of Bird Flu Infection Can't Be Ruled Out, WHO Says 8th Dec, 2007
Bird flu and pandemic influenza: what are the risks? - From the Chief Medical Officer, updated 25 November 2006.
HSE: Working with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus
Defra: Commission Decision Banning Birds at Markets, Shows and Fairs
Department
of
Health:
Pandemic
Flu
website
Contingency
plan,
explanation,
and key
facts.
Frequently
updated.
Department of Health: Pandemic flu, frequently asked questions Pandemic flu and its impact on society - updated 19 Oct. (.pdf, 16 pages, 104KB)
Department of Health: Influenza pandemic contingency plan Updated 19 Oct. (.pdf, 581KB, 177 pages)
Department of Health: Important information for you and your family This leaflet describes pandemic flu, the risk of it occurring in this country, what makes it different from the 'ordinary' flu we get every winter, and what the UK is doing to prepare for a possible influenza pandemic. Updated 19 Oct (.pdf, 16 pages, 1MB)
Department of Health: Pandemic Flu - key facts leaflet Updated 19 Oct. (.pdf, 4 pages, 79KB)
HPA:
Influenza
Pandemic
Contingency
Plan
The
Agency's
plans to
protect
the
public's
health
in the
event of
a flu
pandemic
affecting
the UK.
WHO: 10 things you need to know about pandemic influenza
