Pat's Note: Things are not improving in Ireland either. They seem
strangely relucant to think in terms of pigs being a source for either
MRSA or C.Diff too.

That figures. The three countries that seemed most impacted and
involved in mutated PMWS way back in the begining were the UK, Ireland
(both parts) and Canada. 

Newspaper reports mentioning the three togther in connection with the
related  2000 CSF outbreak in pigs were removed from the WWW, and the
reporters found other jobs.

You can find much, although not all, of the detail either on my
website or by searching the archives here on uk.business.agriculture

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/cases-of-deadly-superbug-climb-to-95-in-one-week-1444513.html

Cases of deadly superbug climb to 95 in one week


SearchQuery:       Independent.ie  WebSearch   
By Eilish O'Regan Health Correspondent


Friday August 01 2008

THE number of recorded cases of the potentially lethal superbug
Clostridium Difficile has reached record levels, with a staggering 95
cases of infection reported in just one week.

The bug, which has already contributed to several deaths this year,
only became a notifiable disease here in early May. Since then, an
average of 45 cases have been reported weekly.

However, last night it emerged that the most recent weekly report of
the number of superbug cases has soared to 95.

It means 550 outbreaks have now been recorded in the space of just
just 10 weeks.

The dramatic jump comes as the European Centre for Disease Prevention
-- the EU agency which monitors the bug -- yesterday warned that
existing guidelines for control of the superbug should be reviewed
following recent epidemics in several European countries linked to a
new hyper-virulent strain. 

"Although such outbreaks are difficult to control, this may be
possible by combining rigorous infection control measures with
appropriate use of antibiotics," the report said. "That was the
conclusion of a group of leading European scientists working on behalf
of the Centre to analyse existing protocols and make recommendations
on infection control measures to limit the spread of C difficile.

"Though C difficile as such is not a new microbe, the emergence and
spread of hyper-virulent new strains, mostly the so-called PCR
ribotype 027, have contributed to multiple outbreaks in hospitals and
care homes in Europe," it added.

The report noted these outbreaks have been characterised by patients
developing "severe diarrhoea, sometimes leading to severe inflammation
of the bowel and death". 

As of June 2008, C difficile PCR ribotype 027 had been reported by
healthcare facilities in 16 European countries.

"Outbreaks were reported in nine countries including Belgium, Germany,
Finland, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Switzerland and
the UK. It was also detected in Austria, Denmark, Hungary, Norway,
Poland, Spain and Sweden, and in Scotland," the report added.

However, despite the report's findings, a spokesman for the Health
Service Executive (HSE) last night claimed there is no need to review
guidelines on the superbug here. 

He said the most recent guidelines here were issued in May and took
full account of the European disease watchdog's recommendations.

The report recommends all EU member states should be aware of C
difficile in healthcare facilities, and pay particular attention to
the PCR ribotype 027.

There have been high-profile outbreaks here including a major one in
Ennis General Hospital in the first six months of 2007 when 15
patients who had the infection died. 

- Eilish O'Regan Health Correspondent

-- 
Regards
Pat Gardiner
Release the results of testing British pigs for MRSA and C.Diff now!
www.go-self-sufficient.com  and http://animal-epidemics.blogspot.com/