Fight MRSA - International MRSA Testing Week, April 1-7th

CHICAGO, April 2, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- MRSA, the antibiotic resistant staph bacteria that has been a secret and silent killer in healthcare facilities for decades is at epidemic levels worldwide. MRSA Survivors Network, a global leader in the fight for MRSA awareness, education and prevention launches this week – "International MRSA Testing Week, April 1-7th" a new global campaign with the slogan "Prevention Saves Lives" that draws critical attention for the need of healthcare facilities worldwide to screen high risk patients for MRSA upon admission with continued surveillance and testing – active detection and isolation (ADI) saves lives.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20091005/MRSALOGO)

"The fact that more Americans (>19,000) die every year from invasive MRSA infections, (according to the Centers for Disease Control - CDC) than from HIV/AIDS every year should be a wake-up call for immediate action, MRSA is a preventable disease," states Jeanine Thomas, founder of MRSA Survivors Network.

MRSA Survivors Network has produced a public service announcement (PSA) with Mr. Rob Stafford of NBC Chicago and will air on NBC Chicago stations in April and viewed on MRSA Survivors Network's YouTube channel and website with its other PSA's and 3 minute video. An International MRSA Testing Week poster along with a new brochure for the public, "Living with MRSA" can be downloaded at http://www.MRSAsurvivors.org. 2012 corporate sponsor – Roche.

Recent data show that the treatment of MRSA bacteremia caused by strains of MRSA with slightly lower susceptibility to vancomycin (MIC>1 ugm/ml), which are increasing frequently, are associated with higher morbidity, mortality and treatment failures. This is reinforced by recent multi-center studies at both the Veteran's Administration (150 hospitals) and throughout the HCA system that have yet again documented that through implementation of ADI, MRSA rates can dramatically reduce, not just in intensive care units, but hospital-wide. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (including the CDC) should mandate ADI. If we are to really believe in patient safety, all healthcare facilities worldwide with endemic MRSA should fully implement ADI as Northern European countries have done successfully; some for decades.

"It's up to all of us to help stop the spread of MRSA worldwide in humans, animals, in the environment and in our food supply," says Jeanine Thomas. "So many people have died from this preventable disease or have become permanently disabled, bankrupt and even homeless – entire families have been shattered."

The World Health Organization (WHO) must finally acknowledge the MRSA epidemic and set up a worldwide MRSA surveillance and reporting system. Such a system would facilitate the collection of data on MRSA infections and colonization with a public release of such data on a designated website. This would illustrate the true magnitude of the MRSA epidemic and public health crisis worldwide and also facilitate the implementation of active detection and isolation (ADI).

World MRSA Day, October 2 and World MRSA Awareness Month, October

The fourth annual World MRSA Day Kickoff Event and Global MRSA Summit will be held Saturday, September 29, 2012 in Chicago. Dr. William R. Jarvis is the recipient of the "Humanitarian Award" and also is Keynote Speaker. Mr. Rob Stafford, evening news anchor for NBC Chicago is the emcee.

Sponsors: Pfizer and media sponsor NBC5 Chicago.

Other events and programs will be held in other U.S. cities, the U.K. and other countries throughout the month of October.

MRSA Survivors Network  was the first patient advocacy organization in 2003 to raise the alarm concerning MRSA and healthcare-acquired infections (HAI's) in the United States and operates the only MRSA Crisis Hotline (630 325-4354). U.S. Rep. Biggert (IL) has introduced a resolution (H. Res. 603) in the U.S. House of Representatives to designate World MRSA Day and Int'l MRSA Testing Week. Resolutions also passed this year in the Illinois General Assembly.

For information on how you can become a corporate sponsor for World MRSA Day, donate, volunteer or get involved, contact us at: 630 325-4354, www.MRSAsurvivors.org , [email protected] , Twitter- www.Twitter.com/MRSAsurvivors and at – www.Facebook.com/MRSASurvivorsNetwork.

SOURCE MRSA Survivors Network