The Mater Private Hospital in Dublin has cut its MRSA infection rate to zero due to the introduction of a new Scandinavian hygienic programme.

The 'Search and Destroy' scheme has been implemented over the past few years and there were zero recorded MRSA-related infections in the hospital in 2008.

Ann Higgins, infection control nurse at the Mater Private Hospital, said that the system has been successful in Scandinavian countries which have the lowest rates of hospital-acquired infection in the world.

Ms Higgins said that MRSA needs to be tackled by a combination of actions and that this particular technique involves swabbing certain high-risk patients for the infection at the time of admission to hospital.

A representative said that patients with MRSA, as well as those who have a high risk of infection, are isolated from other patients.

FANTASTIC

"We are happy with the progress of the implementation of the scheme," added the representative.

Dr Teresa Graham, founding member of Stop Infections Now, has welcomed the findings but urged the HSE to introduce similar methods in public hospitals throughout the country.

"It is fantastic news and I would like to congratulate the Mater Private," she said. "I'm now waiting to see if it's introduced into other hospitals.

"There are a couple of systems which work and the HSE know about these systems," Dr Graham added.

"I would like to see a punishment for those who do not abide by hygienic rules. Perhaps there could be a penalty point system introduced for healthcare professionals who do not wash their hands, for example."

The Search and Destroy method has reduced rates of MRSA in Denmark, Holland, and other northern European countries. Ms Higgins presented her findings at Ireland's Healthcare Conference and Exhibition 2009. However, the Mater Public Hospital had the worst MRSA infection score in the scale of Dublin Hospitals, along with Beaumont Hospital. Both of these had a 12pc reported rate.

BACTERIA

Separately, Irish-based research-ers have revealed results which show that they have developed a new way to kill MRSA.

The treatment eliminates 100pc of bacteria in approximately 30 minutes.

The researchers based at Queen's University, Belfast found that the treatment using substances known as ionic liquids can be sprayed on to a surface where it will kill any existing bacteria.

comurphy@herald.ie

- Claire Murphy