C difficile infections rise—but MRSA rates drop

doi:10.1136/bmj.39199.446331.DB

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Michael Day

London

The number of infections of Clostridium difficile in the NHS in England rose again last year. Hospitals saw 55 681 cases among patients aged over 65 years—up 8% on the 2005 figure, says the Health Protection Agency.

The latest figures come two months after it was revealed that C difficile and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) had killed record numbers of patients in 2005. In that year C difficile was mentioned on 3807 death certificates—up 69% on the 2004 figure, the Office for National Statistics said. MRSA was a factor in 1629 deaths, a rise of 39%.

The Health Protection Agency noted that the latest increase in the number of C difficile cases …