Preparing for the threat posed by community based infections

PA 199/09 An expert in healthcare associated infections says the health service is not ready to deal with an evolving threat from community based infections. Professor Richard James, Director of the Centre for Healthcare Associated Infections (CHAI) at The University of Nottingham, says new strains of MRSA — community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococus aureus (CA-MRSA) — are causing infections in UK hospitals and circulating in the community. In people weakened by viruses such as Swine Flu these infections can trigger a form of pneumonia which kills in 72 hours. On Tuesday July 21 2009 Professor James will be joined by actress Leslie Ash, Patron of CHAI, who is making an appeal film for the Centre which is hoping to raise £1.4 million through charitable donations for new research into healthcare associated infections. Leslie faced a long and difficult recovery after contracting MSSA, a strain related to MRSA. Story credits. More information is available from Professor Richard James on +44 (0)115 8467952 , richard.james [a] nottingham.ac (p) uk Lindsay Brooke - Media Relations Manager.