MRSA Survivors Rally for World MRSA Day

CHICAGO, Oct. 2, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- MRSA survivors along with physicians and lawmakers gathered for the Chicago-based nonprofit MRSA Survivors Network's  5^th Annual World MRSA Day Kickoff Event & Global C. difficile Summit on Sept. 28, 2013 in Chicago. The event was a great success and raised awareness for the fight against MRSA and healthcare-acquired infections.

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

"The U.S. Congress must declare MRSA and C. difficile epidemics and appropriate funds for prevention and public awareness campaigns," states founder Jeanine Thomas.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have glaringly under reported U.S. MRSA infection and death rates in their recent study to try and convince the public that they are actually doing something for prevention, but in reality the CDC's continued inaction is costing many lives.

For example, the denominator used to calculate the invasive MRSA infection rate is the entire geographic area rather than the hospital population, thereby grossly underestimating the rate by enlarging the population by including those at no risk for MRSA. Since the invasive MRSA infections detected are all hospitalized patients, the denominator for calculating the rate should be the hospital not geographic population.

In addition, a recent publication by Huang et al, has been misinterpreted as preventing MRSA- bloodstream infections (BSI's) although a closer examination of the publication shows that negative staphylococci, as causes of BSI were decreased. Although the publication reports that MRSA clinical cultures were significantly decreased, the authors do not indicate what sites of infection were decreased, and this may represent merely a decrease in skin organisms, as MRSA-BSI's were not decreased.

A recent published report in the Journal of Medical Economics estimates the full societal costs of healthcare-acquired infections in the U.S. to be nearly $150 Billion annually.

World MRSA Day – October 2 and World MRSA Awareness Month - October

These are annual designated awareness dates recognized by the U.S. Senate which passed senate resolution (S.R. 301) in 2009. The Global theme for World MRSA Day and World MRSA Awareness Month is 'The MRSA Epidemic – A Call to Action'. 

Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Unite spoke to attendees with his powerful personal message via video and is helping to raise awareness to the global MRSA epidemic.

Dr. William R. Jarvis was Keynote Speaker and Dr. Michael Pulia from University of Wisconsin-Madison and Dr. Lance R. Peterson of NorthShore University HealthSystem also spoke.

Downloadable posters, web banners, brochures, etc., can be found at the World MRSA Day web site to help raise awareness. Awareness events are being held throughout the month of October in the United States, in the UK with MRSA Action UK and with Indonesia-based YOP. Global Handwashing Day is October 15, 2013.

Sponsors: Pfizer, Roche and media sponsor NBC Chicago. Exhibitors: Xenex and PureGreen24.

'MRSA Youth Champion' Bethany Burke of Austin, Texas shared her personal story and her video. View her video and campaign at Crowdrise.com. Others are encouraged to follow her example and help fundraise and raise awareness using Crowdrise along with social media. Runners of marathons, 10K's or walks can create campaigns and draw sponsors to fundraise for MRSA.

Active detection and Isolation – ADI

MRSA Survivors Network calls for all healthcare facilities in the Unites States to be more aggressive in their approach and screen more high-risk patients upon admission and implement 'search and destroy' in each facility to further reduce MRSA infections.

MRSA screening is only one component to reducing MRSA infections.  A comprehensive approach using  active detection and isolation (ADI), including patient isolation, patient decolonization, strict adherence to hand hygiene, decontamination of frequently touched surfaces and prudent use of antibiotics are all imperative to reduce infections.

The World Health Organization (WHO) must immediately develop and implement a MRSA surveillance and reporting system for all countries, collect MRSA infection and colonization data and release the data on a designated website so the true magnitude of the MRSA global epidemic can become apparent worldwide. Transparency is imperative.

About MRSA Survivors Network

MRSA Survivors Network, the prominent global non-profit organization was the first to raise the alarm concerning the MRSA epidemic and healthcare-acquired infections in the United States and operates they only crisis hotline in the U.S. Founder Jeanine Thomas is a survivor of MRSA sepsis and complicating C. difficile from ankle surgery and became critically ill and nearly died.

To help raise awareness, MRSA Survivors Network has produced with True Productions the first non-profit public service announcements ( PSA's) for general MRSA awareness with Mr. Rob Stafford, anchor of NBC Chicago evening news. The PSA's air on NBC Chicago stations and also can be viewed on MRSA Survivors Network's YouTube channel and websites.

MRSA Survivors Network conducts other annual designated awareness campaigns worldwide and Int'l MRSA Testing Week is April 1-7.

For information on how you can become a corporate sponsor, donate ( tax deductible), volunteer or get involved to make a difference, contact us at: 630 325-4354, www.MRSAsurvivors.org , [email protected] ,  www.Twitter.com/MRSAsurvivors and at Facebook.com/MRSASurvivorsNetwork.

SOURCE MRSA Survivors Network