Deaths from MRSA and C. difficile rise

The number of death certificates in England and Wales that mentioned Staphylococcus aureus infection has almost doubled from 2001 to 2005. Figures from the Office for National Statistics show a rise from 1,211 to 2,083 in that period. Cases where Staphylococcus aureus was specified as meticillin resistant (MRSA) rose from 61% in 2001 to 78% in 2005. In addition, the number of death certificates in England and Wales that mentioned Clostridium difficile increased from 1,214 in 2001 to 3,807 in 2005. Between the period from 2004 to 2005 the number of deaths involving C. difficile increased by 69%. The figures also show that MRSA was mentioned on one in every 500 death certificates over the period from 2001 to 2005, and that the increase in the number of death certificates specifying MRSA accounted for most of the increase in deaths where S. aureus was mentioned. For men the MRSA death rate increased from 12.5 to 25.0 per million population, while for women it rose from 6.7 to 14.5 per million population. Between 2004 and 2005, mentions of MRSA on death certificates increased by 39%. However, the Health Protection Agency’s mandatory MRSA surveillance scheme, introduced in April 2001, showed a small fall in laboratory reports over a similar period. Some of the increase in mentions of MRSA may be due to improved levels of reporting on death certificates. The chief medical officer reminded doctors, in his update of July 2005, to include MRSA and other healthcare-associated infections on death certificates whenever they thought these infections had contributed to the death. C. difficile was mentioned on one in every 250 death certificates over the period 20012005. Among death certificates with a mention of C. difficile, the percentage for which it was the underlying cause was similar (around 55%) in each year. For men the C. difficile death rate in England and Wales almost tripled between 2001 and 2005, from 13.1 to 37.6 per million population. Among females, rates more than tripled, from 12.8 per million to 38.9 per million. The ONS data can be seen at www. statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk =6725. Call for ICNs to apply for this year’s NT awards