Cases of superbug MRSA have fallen to a record low, according to NHS figures.
Between July and September there were only 73 cases recorded in Scotland, including four each in Tayside and Fife, against 101 in the same period in 2009.
Cases recorded in Tayside have dropped each quarter during 2010, from seven in January to March and five in April to June to four in the latest period. Ninewells, the region’s biggest hospital, accounted for most of the cases.
The statistics also show cases of C. difficile among elderly patients have also dropped to the lowest level since recording began.
There were 575 patients aged 65-plus with the bug, including 43 in Tayside and 18 in Fife. The national total was down more than 28% on the same period in 2009.
Again, the Tayside figure was the lowest quarterly total of the year to date.
Health secretary Nicola Sturgeon said, “I’ve made tackling hospital infections a top priority and these figures confirm that the initiatives we have put in place coupled with the efforts of health boards, hospital staff and the Healthcare Environment Inspectorate are making a difference.
“It’s vital patients have confidence in the quality of care and treatment they will receive if they go into hospital. But there is always more that can be done and I expect health boards to remain vigilant, continue to drive down infection rates… and ensure that implementing infection control procedures remains top priority.”
There was a rise in C. diff among patients aged 15-64 against the previous quarter, but still well down on July-September 2009.