According to research presented at the HPA’s annual conference, cutting edge genetic sequencing technology could hold the key to helping to control the spread of healthcare associated infections (HCAIs) Latest figures reported to the HPA show that MRSA and C. difficile infections are continuing to fall.
Compared with July 2010, MRSA bloodstream infections fell from 153 to 92 in July 2011, representing a 40% reduction. C. difficile figures also fell from 2013 in July 2010 to 1770 in July this year, which represents a 12% reduction and continues the downward trend. However, despite these reductions, HCAIs remain a major challenge for healthcare providers. The laboratory technique, whole genome sequencing, which is used to identify the complete DNA sequence of an organism’s genome has developed dramatically in recent years. Microbiologists presenting at the conference explained how it is now possible to use this process to gain a better understanding of the spread and transmission of infections. Dr Elizabeth Sheridan, head of healthcare associated infections and antimicrobial resistance for the HPA, and co-chair of the HCAI and AMR session at the conference, said: “Whole genome sequencing has been around for some time but advances in technology have meant the process has become faster and cheaper to use. This has meant the technology is more widely available and can now be applied to more scenarios including researching the transmission and spread of infections in hospitals and community settings. “Whole genome sequencing has been used to investigate an outbreak of MRSA in a neonatal intensive care unit and it was able to distinguish between those strains involved in the outbreak and those that were not. This is a real breakthrough because it allows us to understand the dynamics of how a strain spreads in a healthcare setting where a high baseline level of infection already exists. Dr Sheridan continued: “Existing typing methods are useful for monitoring outbreaks but because this technique looks at the microorganism’s entire DNA sequence, it goes much further which allows us to see just how closely related the organisms are within a single strain as well as showing if they have genes which give them special virulent characteristics enabling them to cause more severe disease or spread more quickly. It can offer a deeper level of understanding about outbreaks that has not been available before and enable us to get better evidence for which infection control interventions would be the most effective. This information can then be used to develop future infection control strategies.
