World MRSA Day -- MRSA Screening Saves Lives

CHICAGO, Aug. 6, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Join us in the fight against MRSA at the Fifth Anniversary World MRSA Day Kickoff event and Global C. diff Summit on September 28, 2013 in Chicago. The annual event is organized by the Chicago-based nonprofit MRSA Survivors Network, the global leader in the fight against MRSA, healthcare-acquired infections and antimicrobial resistance. The 2013 global theme for World MRSA Day, October 2 and World MRSA Awareness Month, October is 'The MRSA Epidemic – A Call to Action.'

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

"We are all in this together and must work together- we are the community of hope," states Jeanine Thomas, founder of MRSA Survivors Network and national spokesperson. "Survivors, their families along with healthcare workers are coming from across the United States to join in this uplifting annual event."

The event is open to the public with free admission and parking. Keynote Speaker is Dr. William R. Jarvis, president of Jason & Jarvis Associates LLC and a world-renowned MRSA expert and ID specialist, formerly with the CDC.  Mr. Rob Stafford, evening news anchor for NBC5 Chicago is emcee. Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Unite will give a personal message to attendees via video.  After the main event and Award Ceremony, the Remembrance Ceremony will honor all those who have died from MRSA and HAI's with a prayer and a moment of silence and then followed by a balloon release.

Sponsors: Pfizer, Roche and media sponsor NBC5 Chicago.    

ADI – Active Detection and Isolation vs New MRSA Decolonization Study
A recent study by Huang et al. conducted in HCA hospital ICUs and published in the New England Journal of Medicine reported that none of three study measures significantly reduced MRSA bloodstream infections but that the rate trended down with universal decolonization (hazard ratio=0.72 using chlorhexidine bathing and intranasal mupirocin ointment) while it trended up with active detection and isolation (ADI) with or without targeted decolonization (hazard ratio=1.23 with and 1.23 without targeted decolonization).

Does that mean that ADI doesn't work? We asked Dr. Barry Farr, Professor Emeritus at the University of Virginia, a world-renowned MRSA expert and researcher to address this question. Here's what he said:

"No. Scientists are rarely swayed by the result of a single, new study."

"That's because all of the pertinent data from previous studies must be evaluated with it. If, as in this case, over 200 prior studies report that ADI works to control nosocomial infections due to multiply drug resistant organisms such as MRSA, then the new study doesn't do much to alter scientists' perception of the way this works. That's true even if the new study has no problems with the way it was conducted."

"But the study by Huang did have problems. One problem was that the universal decolonization was started at the time of admission, but in the two study groups using ADI, nothing was done to control spread on the first day after admission. This is a systematic difference, which, in epidemiological studies, is called 'bias.' Bias can cause false, misleading results. In the real world, if ADI was being used to control MRSA properly and it was known that > 10% of new admissions were MRSA-colonized (as in the baseline data of this study), presumptive isolation would have been used pending screening results. Failure to do this biased the study in favor of the universal decolonization arm."

"Moreover, the study doesn't say exactly when the 'admission' screening was performed for the two ADI groups. If the screening got done on average in the middle of the first day after admission and took a full day for results to return, that would mean that half of a patient's ICU admission could be over before any control measures were begun (the median ICU stay in the study was three days). This is a big problem. If the 'admission' screening got done even later, as allowed in the STAR Trial, the problem would be even larger."

"Another concern with the Huang study was that universal decolonization using intranasal mupirocin ointment in large numbers of patients might predispose to development of mupirocin resistance and loss of control (as reported in prior studies using widespread mupirocin)."

MRSA Survivors Network's founder, Jeanine Thomas states, "It continues to be unclear why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have not adapted and strongly recommended this evidence-based approach, ADI – (active detection and isolation) decades ago and also considering the incredible success of the VA System Nationwide MRSA screening program along with many other hospitals and healthcare systems proving ADI is effective in reducing MRSA infections and cost effective."

First Annual RRA Raise MRSA Awareness 5k Walk                                                                        September 14, 2013 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Smedley Park- Springfield, PA. For information contact Jennifer Letts: mailto:[email protected] .

August 17-18, 2013 attend the Saline Antiques Market in Ann Arbor, MI and a percentage of gate admissions goes to MRSA Survivors Network to raise awareness. For info: Soupie Promotions 937-875-0808

Events and programs will be held in other U.S. cities and worldwide with MRSA Action UK participating in the U.K. events. It's not too late to plan your event at your facility now!

Posters, brochures and banners can be downloaded at www.WorldMRSAday.org  and a PSA by True Productions will air on NBC Chicago stations and can also be viewed on MRSA Survivors Network's YouTube Channel and websites.

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

SOURCE MRSA Survivors Network