Aims of the project

1. The main goal of this project is the creation of a transborder network in the Münsterland/Twente region.
   
   A transborder quality group from hospitals, public health authorities and laboratories is therefore planned over the course of three years. [Details]

 

2. The MRSA and hygiene protocols of the hospitals in the EUREGIO are to be synchronised according to national standards, both German and Dutch.
   
   The reduction of MRSA rates should be based on the development of an adequate set of protocols for the prevention of the spread of MRSA, for the detection of MRSA, and for the treatment of colonised patients, which can eventually be used in the whole Dutch-German border region. A good deal of attention should be given to the accessibility, comprehensibility, applicability and acceptability of these protocols to ensure compliance in the health care service. [Details]

 

3. Promote active education of the public to foster greater awareness of preventable infectious disease problems in the health care sector [Press]

 

4. Early identification and control of so-called CA-MRSA, which can cause severe disease in healthy persons also otside hospitals.
   
   CA-MRSA (community-acquired - MRSA) rise since a few years worldwide. Also in Germany and the Netherlands there have been descriptions of infections and outbreaks due to CA-MRSA. The early identification and the control of CA-MRSA is only possible through close collaboration with the public health services. [Details]

 

5. Implementation of a common typing strategy established by the Institute of Hygiene of the University of Münster [www.SeqNet.org].
   
   The backbone of the network will be a sequence based typing method that has been established in Münster and makes it possible to distinguish the several clones in the region. Molecular surveillance and early-warning systems based on the identification of highly virulent clones (spa t044) are possible. [Details]

 

6. The long-term aim of this EUREGIO project is to reduce the MRSA rates on both sides of the border to acceptable levels in both the hospitals and the community.
   
   This will allow a liberal flow of both patients and healthcare personnel across the border, and substantially lowering MRSA-associated costs. [Details]