Written question asked by Andrew Mackinlay (Labour) on Monday, 12 July 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 13 September 2004. It was answered by Melanie Johnson (Labour) on Monday, 13 September 2004 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which hospitals stock antibiotics against strains of MRSA; and if he will make a statement; which antibiotics are effective against strains of MRSA; and if he will make a statement.

Answer: Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) which hospitals stock antibiotics against strains of MRSA; and if he will make a statement; [184422] (2) which antibiotics are effective against strains of MRSA; and if he will make a statement. [184423] Miss Melanie Johnson: The use of the description methicillin resistant in methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) implies resistance to all penicillin and cephalosporin type antibiotics (beta lactam group of antibiotics). Resistance to other classes of antibiotics is extremely variable. Most MRSA that occur in the United Kingdom are still sensitive to and may be treated with vancomycin, teicoplanin, linezolid, or quinupristin/dalfopristin. They may also be sensitive to rifampicin, fluoroquinolone antibiotics (such as ciprofloxacin), chloramphenicol and variably to other antibiotics including tetracyclines macrolides (such as erythromycin) and aminoglycosides (such as gentamicin). Trusts have stocks of these antibiotics. Decisions on the antibiotic(s) appropriate for the treatment of any one patient must, therefore, depend on microbiological laboratory testing of the individual strain of bacterium isolated. MRSA resistant to all available antibiotics have not as yet been isolated in the United Kingdom.

Secondary information