Pat's Note: I know this hospital well and have no reason to say they
are anything other than excellent. There is no reason to doubt these
figures any more than any other hospital. The figures for all
hospitals are pretty meaningless, we all know that.

The system for collecting them is hardly "robust" to use the modern
jargon.

However, "Traditionally MRSA is linked to poor hygiene practices."

and

"and it recently announced plans to introduce screening so those
identified as having a superbug on arrival at the hospital are kept
apart from other patients."

It almost seems that Norwich do not believe that MRSA is that strongly
linked to hygiene. "Traditionally" is an odd word to use.

They obviously believe that screening on arrival is necessary and
appropriate measures should be taken for carriers and those actually
sick with MRSA.

Where I disagree with them is over the failure to test pig and pork
workers automatically and do that before it is possible to implement
universal screening.

http://www.pigprogress.net/news/id1602-53804/us_experts_receive_48m_for_prrs_research...

US Experts receive $4.8m for PRRS research// 23 May 2008

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) costs pig
producers an estimated $700 million a year. In Kansas alone, losses
are estimated at $15 million per year.

That's why researchers at Kansas State University have been
collaborating with other universities in the region to resolve PRRS
and other swine diseases in the nation's pig population.

Grant
In recognition of this hard work, the U.S. Department of Agriculture
recently approved a $4.8 million grant to support a comprehensive
national program aimed at controlling the disease. Raymond "Bob"
Rowland, K-State professor and virologist, will lead the PRRS
Coordinated Agricultural Project.

Under the project, K-State's experts will collaborate with other
universities, veterinarians, commodity groups, government agencies and
swine producers to get to the bottom of the disease.

K-State has been a player in this initiative since it began in 2004 at
the University of Minnesota.

Pat's Note: Need I say more?

"Countries found not to be engaged in prudent surveillance will find
their exports restricted and may be held accountable for outbreaks of
disease. "

http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cache:xlWb6reYsbYJ:www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/%%24department/deptdocs...

Assumptions:
Animal Disease & zoonotic diseases affecting humans and other species

The risk of production limiting disease (Blue ear (PRRS?) circovirus,
hog Cholera, foot and mouth, etc.) will increase as agriculture
intensifies, animal densities increase and trade in meat expands.

Diseases currently seen as strictly animal disease and economic issues
may be reinterpreted as human threats eg. P.R.R.S., circovirus,
M.R.S.A

The O.I.E. will continue to move toward a system which requires more
transparency, monitoring and reporting of disease. Countries found not
to be engaged in prudent surveillance will find their exports
restricted and may be held accountable for outbreaks of disease.

Pat;s Note: Just like an NHS deep clean, with added vet!

I wonder what other infectious diseases he has in mind?

Perhaps it is an opportune time to remind the veterinary community,
that deep cleans for MRSA in hospitals did not work.

http://www.thepigsite.com/swinenews/18013/dont-zap-salmonella-control

Friday, May 23, 2008

Don't ZAP Salmonella Control

UK - With changes to the ZAP salmonella scheme having been recently
instigated, there is now a requirement for all finishing pig farms to
have a Salmonella Control Plan. This has to be drawn up in conjunction
with the unit's vet and audited as part of the Farm Assurance scheme.

While it may no longer appear as urgent for producers to reduce their
salmonella scores, they should remember that the principles of
salmonella control apply not only to salmonella but also to all other
infectious diseases, says Paul Thompson, veterinary consultant to
pig-breeding company ACMC.

Something has obviously gone badly wrong.

The main commercial veterinary website reported the appointment of a
new Chief Vet on the 21st May.

The information was posted yesterday PM - the 22nd.

You can look for yourself

http://www.thepigsite.com/swinenews/18001/meet-defras-new-chief-veterinary-offic...

Nobody else has reported the appointment as far as I can see. That is
distinctly odd. Either the Pig Site jumped the gun or something has
changed and Defra have asked the others not to publish

The Pig Site is perfectly responsible. They would not have got this
wrong.

FG and FWi would not have missed the Pig Site announcement. Why
haven't they published? They have obviously been told not to.

I can't see it on the Defra site either. The Pig Site has a scoop

Now, boys and girls, remember my "Pat's Guess"

I wonder if the new Chief Vet told that his first job was to announce
that British pigs have MRSA said "Bugger that for a game of soldiers"
and walked out.

I would have done, so would anyone with any sense.

Pat's Notes:

The Irish have just done it, the Canadians are howling for it.

This disgraced Welsh hospital is correcty exposing that Britain's
figures on superbug are bunkum.

Britain lags behind.

Britain does not have mandatory reporting of MRSA and C.Diff on death
certificates.

Just like it didn't make PMWS notifiable in 1999 - and attracted
criticism from the past President of the OIE for its blatant disregard
of its international obligations.

You can' t have reliable statistics in Britain. They would throw up
too much that the government is trying to hide.

They are going to have to release the fact that Britain;s pigs are a
source of MRSA and possibly C.Diff in the end

The wrath of England will be terrible to witness. The vets will pay
the price of a complete lack of integrity - public vilification.

Make no mistake, the book is going to be thrown at Britain in the
international courts,

Raven nest 'disappears' from park
A rare raven's nest has disappeared from a National Trust property, a
police spokesman said.

The nest, first discovered four years ago, was situated in Belton
Park, near Grantham, Lincolnshire.

The nest was believed to be the first raven's nest in the county for
more than 300 years.

Pc Nigel Lound said: "The raven is a scarce bird in Lincolnshire and
one that we were hoping would once again, become established in the
county."

Tower residents

He said the nest was "a substantial structure" that was taken
illegally in the past six weeks and an investigation is under way to
determine what happened.

Matthew Capper of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)
said ravens are very scarce in the East Midlands, including
Lincolnshire, but are slowly starting to move into Derbyshire,
especially the Peak District.

Pat;s Note: Ireland was the other country I expected to finger pigs as
a source for MRSA and a probable source for C.Diff.

Greymaus continues to amaze me. If the thought that kids are dying
does not move him, you would have thought that fame and fortune would
have stared him for the short trip to Dublin.

I've have spoon fed him the material.

When he finds an especially beautiful woman with unexpected foreign
honours, great wealth and a taste for travel, he will have reached his
destination.

Why so cryptic? If the lad reaches the finishing post, he will be able
(or maybe will not want to) explain.

Lazy lot, you Politburo. Would not have lasted ten minutes as a
shipbroker!

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/superbug-alarm-as-cases-hit--40-a-week-1383880...

Superbug alarm as cases hit 40 a week

By Eilish O'Regan Health Correspondent

Friday May 23 2008

THE alarming spread of a potentially fatal superbug in our hospitals
is revealed for the first time today.

Pat's Note. How they can justify hiding up MRSA in pigs beats me.

It will beat them in the end. I'm very surprised that the newspapers
have not picked up on it, yet. They seem slow on the uptake

I know why they have not picked up on it, of course, but still
surprised.

That is why it will either the EU or Canada that will finally pull the
roof down on corruption in Britain.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/topstories/2008/05/23/superbug-shame-89520-20426293/

SUPERBUG SHAME

Scandal of worst hospitals for MRSA and C.diff

By Emily Cook Health Correspondent 23/05/2008

The hospitals with the worst record for superbug deaths were exposed
in league tables yesterday.

They show 6,480 patients were killed by C.diff in 2006 - up 72 per
cent on the previous year. The number dying from MRSA two years ago
was 1,652, the Office for National Statistics found. That is rise of
1,601 since 1993. The figures may be the tip of a terrible iceberg.

Campaigners fear the true death toll is even higher as infections are
not always recorded by doctors as a cause of death.