Inform patients about MRSA and improve hygiene, says lobby group

PATIENTS must be told about the risk of acquiring the hospital super bug MRSA before consenting to surgery, a patients’ lobby group told a national conference on drug resistant infections yesterday.

Chairman of the Irish Patients Association, Stephen McMahon made the call the day after Cork Coroner’s Court recorded that Valentine Ryan (74) from Carrigaline, Co Cork, died over four years ago from blood poisoning caused by MRSA.

Many deaths are believed to have been caused by MRSA but, up to now, they have been officially attributed to other causes.