Blood infections caused by the superbug MRSA have been practically halved since Mater Dei Hospital opened in 2007, but antibiotic misuse within the community threatens to unravel these achievements. After years of placing among the top EU countries with the highest incidence of the antibiotic-resistant infection, Mater Dei’s multifaceted efforts have succeeded in reversing the trend.

The most serious type of MRSA infections, which are those in the blood, went down to 24 cases in 2013 compared to 40 cases in 2007, no mean feat when the number of patients admitted to hospital increased substantially over the span of six years.

“This is welcome news but all this threatens to be undermined without the cooperation of the public and GPs to reduce the unnecessary intake of antibiotics,” Michael Borg, hospital Infection Control Committee chairman, said.

These figures come just days after the World Health Organisation released its first global report on the “alarming levels” of disease-causing bacteria that resist antibiotic treatment and which have become widespread in every part of the world.

The report warns that the problem is so serious “it threatens the achievements of modern medicine”.

It adds: “A post-antibiotic era – in which common infections and minor injuries can kill – is a very real possibility for the 21st century.”

The local data, provided by hospital CEO Joseph Caruana, shows the pressing concern among healthcare professionals is that between 10 and 15 per cent of patients admitted to hospital unknowingly carried the MRSA microbe on their body without any visible effects.

“This situation is almost certainly the result of high levels of antibiotic prescribing in the community in Malta, which unfortunately, are among the highest in Europe,” Dr Borg said.

“Unnecessary use of antibiotics changes the bacteria present on our bodies to resistant mutants. These can then spread and cause infections, either in patients themselves – for example after an operation – or in other patients.”

With this in mind, Mater Dei has this month started screening all patients entering medium-risk wards to contain the superbug and drastically reduce the chance of MRSA infections in hospital.

This is in addition to a previous initiative in high-risk wards – such as ITU and the Renal Unit – where MRSA infections were reduced drastically when screening was introduced last year.

Upon admission patients are checked by a simple swab test to the nose to see if they are carrying the microbe. If so, they are given ointments and disinfectant washes to eradicate it before it has time to spread.

The encouraging results are thanks to improved hand hygiene among healthcare professionals, and ensuring intravenous lines – the “drips” used to deliver life-saving medicines to patients – are managed and monitored effectively to avoid becoming an unwitting source of bacteria to the patient.

Hand hygiene – which five years ago saw just one in 10 doctors and nurses washing their hands before treating or examining patients – has improved drastically. Audits show that in some wards up to 80 per cent were abiding by the guidelines.

Antibiotic prescribing audits in hospital have also shown improved compliance with hospital guidelines.

“These results could only have been obtained through the wholehearted cooperation of all hospital staff... and designated infection prevention champions in different wards who work with infection control experts to create a network of improvement,” Mr Caruana said.

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