Maddie Reimer died at 7 weeks old from MRSA, every person is at risk for a MRSA infection.
You Can Make a Difference!!! MRSA Survivors Network was the first patient advocacy organization in the U.S. to raise the alarm about MRSA and healthcare-acquired infections. We operate the only MRSA Crisis Hotline (630 325-4354) and Bandage Care Program to help MRSA victims, families and caregivers. Your generous donation helps us expand our mission and save more lives. We accept credit cards and checks.

May 2012 bring a major change – culture shift in the healthcare industry worldwide with healthcare facilities realizing that they must screen, isolate and decolonize patients to eradicate MRSA. We commend the doctors and healthcare facilities who are implementing ADI – active detection and isolation and wish that all facilties worldwide would do so. We also wish that all facilities would report their MRSA infection and colonization rates to state web sites and the WHO to set up a MRSA surveillance and reporting system globally with data posted on their web site – we need true tranparency. We are at epidemic levels in many countries and we need everyone working together for patient safety to save lives.  www.MRSAsurvivors.org  www.worldMRSAday.org

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) more Americans (nearly 20,000) die of invasive MRSA infections every year, more than from HIV/AIDS, but many believe that the true number is over 100,000 deaths occurring  from MRSA every year in the United States.

“MRSA, healthcare-acquired infections (HAI’s) and antimicrobial resistance must become a top political priority worldwide,” states Jeanine Thomas. “In the United States many MRSA victims are becoming permanently disabled, bankrupt and homeless; it is so tragic because it is preventable.”

More than 200 studies support the need for active detection and isolation (ADI) to control MRSA along with decolonizing MRSA positive patients. Why does the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) still not strongly recommend this approach in their HICPAC CDC guidelines in controlling multi drug-resistant organisms (MDRO’s) while another U.S. federal agency – the VA Health Systems screens all of their patients since 2008? The CDC came out recently with a press release stating that MRSA infection rates have dropped by 18%, but no data was included to substantiate their claim. Why the lack of transparency?

While over one-third of U.S. hospitals currently (that includes all of the VA healthcare facilities)  screen patients for MRSA, every single healthcare facility should implement active detection and isolation (ADI) to reduce MRSA infection rates and save lives.  Healthcare facilities must implement a bundled-comprehensive approach to controlling MRSA colonization and infections; active detection and isolation, decolonization of carriers (MRSA positive patients), decontamination of frequently touched surfaces, strict adherence to hand hygiene and good stewardship/prudent use of antibiotics

“Too many lives are lost from preventable MRSA infections worldwide,” states Jeanine Thomas, founder of MRSA Survivors Network. “Antimicrobial resistance will continue to increase if we do not work hard to prevent MRSA and other infections such asC. difficile and VRE.”

To assist healthcare facilities and community organizations to raise awareness during International MRSA Testing Week, April 1-7th, MRSA Survivors Network is creating downloadable posters, web banners, a brochure and e-card which will be available on the MRSA Survivors Network website. A 15 second Public Service Announcement (PSA) with Mr. Rob Stafford, anchor for NBC Chicago evening news and contributing correspondent with Dateline NBC has been produced and can be seen on the MRSA Survivors Network website and YouTube channel - http://youtu.be/qA6OFlzsCwI .

MRSA Survivors Network operates the only MRSA Crisis Hotline in the United States (630 325-4354) for MRSA victims, their families and caregivers. MSN also provides wound care items directly to disadvantaged MRSA surgical site infection patients.

MRSA Survivors Network was the first patient/consumer nonprofit organization in the U.S. to raise the alarm about MRSA and healthcare-acquired infections beginning in 2002 and founded World MRSA Day, October 2 and MRSA Awareness Month, October in 2009 to raise awareness to the worldwide MRSA epidemic. Jeanine Thomas, founder, national spokesperson and conference speaker is a survivor of MRSA sepsis and C. difficile.

For information on corporate or individual sponsorship opportunities for the International MRSA Testing Week campaign, to donate, volunteer or to have Jeanine Thomas to speak at your conference contact us at: Tel: 630 325-4354, email:jthomas@MRSAsurvivors.org www.MRSAsurvivors.org, www.worldMRSAday.org

Read Full Article: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/launch-of-international-mrsa-testing-week-awareness-campaign-134664893.html

As we approach Thanksgiving there are many things to be thankful for. MRSA victims are thankful that over one-third of U.S. hospitals are now screening patients for MRSA upon admission. More screening of high risk patients is needed, but we are very thankful that more and more healthcare facilities are understanding that active detection and isolation is imperative in helping to eradicate MRSA and must be a part of a bundle/comprehensive approach in infection control.

I am personally thankful for all of those who have helped me in my global mission to raise awareness for MRSA and we are building and growing. I am also thankful that my  recent MRSA infection (I had been MRSA infection free for several years) healed quickly and did not spread and I could continue to work on the MRSA awareness campaigns. Let us be thankful this week for all the blessings we do have. www.MRSAsurvivors.org  www.worldMRSAday.org

October is World MRSA Awareness Month and what is the WHO, UN and CDC doing to raise awareness concerning the Global MRSA epidemic? Where is the global surveillance program to track MRSA colonization and infection rates in developed and developing nations? Why is the “Call for Action” coming from patient advocates in the US and UK and not from world health officials? Where is the global awareness and educational campaigns? US Congress allocated 1.2 billion in funds for H1N1 influenza and that was just another flu strain and the US DHHS bought vaccines and then dumped over $500 million worh of vaccine. How much is being spent on MRSA, C. diff and VRE? We need answers to these questions as every single day, thousands are being infected with MRSA and other pathogens and people are dying. The time to act is now – prevention saves lives. October 16-22 is International Infection Prevention Week – www.MRSAsurvivors.org

“MRSA Survivors Network brings critical attention and awareness for the need for MRSA prevention, treatment, educational and awareness campaigns to the public worldwide”, states Jeanine Thomas, founder of World MRSA Awareness Month, World MRSA Day and MRSA Survivors Network.

The Global theme for World MRSA Awareness Month is “The MRSA Epidemic – A Call to Action”. International Infection Prevention Week is October 16-22, 2011.

The 3rd Annual World MRSA Day kickoff event on October 1, 2011 at Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine was a huge success and is building every year. The community and healthcare industry came together to raise awareness for MRSA and the event was watched live via web stream around the world by thousands. Dr. William R. Jarvis, a world-renowned MRSA and infectious disease specialist and formerly with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was Keynote Speaker. Monica E. Oduber, an Aruban artist exhibited her three MRSA paintings at the October 1, 2011 event and is the first to draw worldwide attention to the MRSA epidemic and to the human suffering from MRSA infections through art.

2011 Sponsors are: Tec Labs, Roche, Pfizer, BD, Cepheid, Loyola University Health System and media sponsor NBC Chicago.

Downloadable posters, web banners, a brochure and e-card can be found at the World MRSA Day web site to help raise awareness. Events are being held throughout the month of October in the United States and the United Kingdom in hospitals, universities, churches and community centers.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) must immediately develop and implement a MRSA surveillance and reporting system for all countries, collect MRSA infection and colonization data and release the data so the true magnitude of the MRSA global epidemic can become apparent worldwide. Transparency is imperative.

This year the Veteran’s Administration (VA) Healthcare System reported the results of their MRSA intervention. Through the use of active detection and isolation (ADI), a large number of VA hospitals nationwide were able to significantly reduce MRSA colonization and infection and save many lives. Thus, similar to previous data reported by Evanston Hospital, universal screening of admissions for MRSA combined with placing MRSA-colonized or infected patients in contact isolation, reinforcing hand hygiene and environmental cleaning significantly reduces MRSA infections. Given that nearly 20,000 persons who die of invasive MRSA infections in U.S. healthcare facilities each year, how long will health officials wait until ADI is mandated for the control of MRSA in healthcare facilities in the U.S. and worldwide?

Read Full Article: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/world-mrsa-awareness-month-october-131042538.html