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ISC Working Group on MRSA

Committee
Introduction
Aims of the Working Group
Work Plan
Work Packages
Meetings

Committee  
Honorary Chairperson

Henri A Verbrugh
professor and chair department Medical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases
Erasmus University Medical Center
‘s-Gravendijkwal 230
Rotterdam , 3015 CE
The Netherlands
Tel: + 31-10-7033510
Fax: +31-10-7033875
E-Mail: h.a.verbrugh@erasmusmc.nl

Honorary Secretary Ian M. Gould
Medical Microbiology
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
Foresterhill
Aberdeen
Scotland, UK AB25 2ZN
Tel: +44 1224 554954
FaX: +44 1224 550632
E-Mail: i.m.gould@abdn.ac.uk
Honorary Treasurer Peter Appelbaum (USA)
Committee Members Wolfgang Witte (Germany)
Jaana Vuopio-Varkila (Finland)
Robert Skov (Denmark)
Fred Tenover USA)
Po-Ren Hsueh (Taiwan)
Paul Tambyah (Singapore)
Evalina Tacconelli (Italy)
Barry Cookson (UK)
Cristoph Naber (Germany)
George Peters (Germany)
Graeme Nimmo (Australia)
Atef Shible (Saudi Arabia)
Marc Struelens (Belgium)
Pierre Vaudaux (France)

Introduction
Multi-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a scourge of health services around the world. While not new - the first methicillin-resistant cases were discovered within a year of marketing this drug in 1961 and in the 1950s streptomycin / tetracycline resistant strains were problematic - it continues to evolve with new super-antigen and toxin-laden strains arising de novo in the community and causing great concern because of high transmissibility and occasional mortality.

There is little doubt that, for many countries, MRSA is the major emerging infectious disease of concern, particularly in the healthcare setting. The societal cost in the UK alone has been estimated at over £10 billion/year. The organism has a unique ability to colonise, evolve, invade tissues causing a huge variety of primary and opportunist infections, survive in the environment and spread from patient to patient, often via healthcare staff or formites. Recent elucidation of the genome of a virulent CAMRSA, USA 300, demonstrates the potential genetic diversity and prospects for further increases in pathogenicity, virulence and antibiotic resistance.

Aims of the Working Group
To foster international exchange of ideas and new research into all aspects of MRSA with a view to discovering the best control strategies.

Work Plan

1. To organise an annual workshop on MRSA.
2. To organise occasional PG educational meetings on MRSA.
3. To encourage submission of original research to the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents.
4. To apply for research grants.

Work Packages

Paul Tambyah
Vincent Jarlier

Register of hospitals using PCR for admission screening

Angela Kearns
Marina Morgan
Register of cases of PVL pneumonia
Moyssis Lelekis
S. Tsiodras

Register of cases of PVL necrotising SSTI
Peter Applebaum
Stefani Stefani
Po-ren Hsueh
Detection of glycopeptide resistance

Evalina Tacconeli Risk assessment for MRSA
Barry Cookson Collaboration with ESGNI on Questionnaire
Christoph Naber Liaison with ISC WG on Infective Endocarditis
Stephanie Dancer Hospital cleaning and disinfection
Vincent Jarlier Surveillance
Wolfgang Witte Strain registry
Andrea Novelli
Francesco Scaglioni
PK/PD of new anti staphylococcal agents

Meetings
The ISC Working Group on MRSA has (co-)organized the following meetings and symposia:

March 2007 Symposium: “Update on MRSA” at the 25th ICC / 17th ECCMID, Munich, Germany
April 2008 2nd ISC European Conference on Bloodstream Infections, Sitges, Spain
September 2008 International Symposium for Staphylococci and Staphylococcal Infection, Cairns, Australia
November 2008 European Congress of Chemotherapy, Istanbul, Turkey
December 2008 11th Western Pacific Congress on Chemotherapy and Infectious Diseases (WPCCID), Taipei, Taiwan
April 2009 3rd ISC European Conference on Bloodstream Infections, Naples, Italy
June 2009 Postgraduate Educational Meeting on Skin and Soft Tissue Infections, Capri, Italy
June 2009 26th International Congress of Chemotherapy, Toronto, Canada

Note: We had a very successful first symposium organised by the Working Group at the ICC / ECCMID in Munich in 2007, with over 400 in attendance. Fewer people turned up at the first business meeting but decisions were taken to set up some sub-groups, organise a DMS meeting (probably in Edinburgh) and to set up the work packages above.

For further information on ISC meetings go to:

ISC Future Meetings
ISC Past Meetings

Last edition: mai 10, 2008

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