Anton McNulty
antonmcnulty@mayonews.ie
Mayo General Hospital is reviewing possible causes for the increased number of newborn babies who have tested positive for MRSA on their skin, but it is stressing that there is no outbreak.
Newborn babies are screened for the MRSA bacteria and since March, 23 babies screened for MRSA have tested positive for its presence on their skin. The figure has been described as greater than normal but the HSE stressed that no baby has taken ill from a MRSA infection and denied their was an outbreak of the bacteria.
“In many babies that get MRSA, the bacteria stays on the skin and does no harm - this is called colonisation,” the HSE stated. At present there are no babies with MRSA colonisation in the unit at present.
The hospital’s authorities have implemented a number of control measures including increased screening, strict implementation of the visiting policy, environmental cleaning and enhanced vigilance.
“In recent months a number of babies greater than normal were found to have MRSA colonisation. However it must be stressed that any baby shown to have MRSA relates to colonisation only; no baby has become ill due to MRSA.
“The increase in colonisation numbers started in March 2012 and we have since started screening all babies in the maternity unit, not just in the Special Care Baby Unit."
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