Treat MRSA at home, scientists urge
Updated on 07 January 2008
Many MRSA patients could be treated at home, experts say.
A new report claims the NHS could save millions of pounds if people infected with the bug were treated away from hospital.
Scientists said those with MRSA were unlikely to spread the bug to healthy people and could take antibiotics at home.
But one leading expert in the field warned the plan may not be safe for everyone.
The study, produced by seven experts and the campaign group, National Concern for Healthcare Infections (NCHI), said many patients could be treated at home. Contrary to common fears, treating people in the community is unlikely to spread MRSA infection as it generally only infects through open wounds or IV lines, it said.
"Traditionally, people who have an infection caused by MRSA have been treated in hospital, usually by intravenous antibiotics. Intravenous medicines need to be given by a healthcare professional, such as a nurse, and in some cases it is only the need for intravenous antibiotics that keeps a person in hospital when they are otherwise medically fit to go home.
"In many cases, it is thought that if appropriate treatment was available, it would be possible for the MRSA infection to be treated outside hospital. People with MRSA infection are not a danger to healthy people."
The report said studies have suggested that up to a third of those with MRSA could be discharged from hospital with an oral antibiotic.
Mark Wilcox, professor of medical microbiology at the University of Leeds, worked on the report. He said: "Treating people with MRSA at home offers multiple benefits in terms of infection control, and reducing NHS costs and resource use. Many patients would also prefer to be discharged from hospital to be with their families while they finish their treatment, and they should be given that option, where possible."
A spokesman for the Department of Health said home treatment may be appropriate for some patients. "There is now a strong move to provide treatment for patients at home, and we would support this approach being more widely available when appropriate," he said.
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