New Study Shows MRSA Infections may be Brought Home from Healthcare Facilities

Drug-resistant hospital acquired infections have EMSL Analytical busy providing testing solutions.

Westmont, NJ, August 17th, 2009

A recent study in France of more than 1,500 hospital patients found that 12.7% of the patients had Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureas (MRSA) infections before they were released from the hospital. Of those infected, 19.1% of household contacts of the former patients subsequently became infected themselves. The trend of sending patients home to receive continued care, which at one time would have been done in the hospital, appears to be increasing the risks of MRSA spreading.

Over the past several years several high profile outbreaks and deaths associated with MRSA have caught the attention of the nation and world. MRSA is a type of bacteria that is resistant to a number of commonly used antibiotics. Until recently most cases of MRSA were hospital acquired, but community acquired MRSA infections have become much more common.

MRSA infections are most likely to occur in crowed environments, such as schools, where many people touch the same surfaces. MRSA can be spread by direct skin to skin contact or from contact with surfaces that have been contaminated by an infected individual.

EMSL Analytical, a leader in providing cutting edge laboratory services, has been busy providing environmental MRSA analysis. MRSA is known to survive on environmental surfaces for up to 2 weeks. Sampling of environments where MRSA outbreaks have occurred, or are likely to occur, may be useful in preventing the spread of infection. “EMSL recently made available a free MRSA poster that can be ordered from our website to help educate the public about the deadly bacteria,” stated Joe Frasca, Executive Vice President Marketing at EMSL Analytical.

In 2008, EMSL Analytical also began offering analysis for air samples of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB). To learn more about MRSA, TB testing or other testing services contact EMSL Analytical at (800) 220-3675 or visit www.EMSL.com.

About EMSL Analytical, Inc.
EMSL Analytical is a leading, national provider of environmental, consumer products and materials testing services and products to professionals and the general public. The company has an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations as well as state and federal regulating bodies.

To learn more about EMSL Analytical please visit: www.EMSL.com or www.LATesting.com, or contact EMSL at (800) 220-3675 or info@EMSL.com.

Contact Information

Joe Frasca

Senior Vice President, Marketing

EMSL Analytical, Inc.

Contact via E-mail