MRSA increase in Castlebar hospital

Mayo General Hospital in Castlebar has seen an increase in cases of MRSA colonisation among babies over the past seven months, the Health Service Executive has said.

The HSE has noted that these are not MRSA cases or illnesses and no baby has become ill due to an MRSA bacteria infection.

MRSA colonisation means a person is carrying the bug on their skin, but it does not cause infection or ill health. There are currently no babies in the unit with MRSA colonisation, the HSE said in a statement, the HSE said.

In recent months more babies than normal were found to have MRSA colonisation, with an average of three babies per month.

In increase in colonisation numbers began in March of this year. The hospital extended its routine screening to all babies in the maternity unit not just the special care unit.

“It must be noted that increased screening will by itself result in more cases of colonisation being detected,” the HSE said in a statement.