HR1077 LRB095 20393 DRJ 47889 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
3 (MRSA) is a type of infection that is resistant to treatment
4 with the usual antibiotics and is the most common pathogen that
5 causes Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs) in the United
6 States and around the world; and
 
7     WHEREAS, A study led by the Centers for Disease Control and
8 Prevention estimates that in 2005 more than 94,000 invasive
9 MRSA infections occurred in the United States and more than
10 18,500 of these infections resulted in death; and
 
11     WHEREAS, The percentage of MRSA infections in the United
12 States that are antimicrobial-resistant has grown from 2
13 percent in 1974 to 63 percent in 2004; and
 
14     WHEREAS, The annual number of hospitalizations associated
15 with MRSA infections more than doubled between 1999 and 2004,
16 from 127,036 to 278,203; and
 
17     WHEREAS, Approximately 85 percent of all invasive MRSA
18 infections were associated with healthcare; and
 
19     WHEREAS, Serious MRSA infections occur most frequently
20 among individuals in hospitals and healthcare facilities,

 

 

HR1077 - 2 - LRB095 20393 DRJ 47889 r

1 particularly the elderly, those undergoing dialysis, and those
2 with surgical wounds; and
 
3     WHEREAS, Individuals infected with MRSA are most likely to
4 have longer and more expensive hospital stays, with an average
5 cost of $35,000; and
 
6     WHEREAS, MRSA results in more than $3,000,000,000 in annual
7 Medicare charges alone, a major factor in the over
8 $5,000,000,000 annual price tag for treating healthcare
9 associated infections in the United States; and
 
10     WHEREAS, There has been an increase in reported staph
11 infection outbreaks, including antibiotic-resistant strains,
12 in states such as Illinois, New York, Kentucky, Virginia,
13 Maryland, Ohio, North Carolina, and Florida, and in the
14 District of Columbia; and
 
15     WHEREAS, Clusters of MRSA have been reported since 2000
16 among competitive sports teams, where it is transmitted through
17 personal contact, sharing towels or equipment, and sharing
18 locker facilities; and
 
19     WHEREAS, Anyone, not just an infected patient, can be a
20 vehicle for the transmission of MRSA through skin-to-skin
21 contact; and
 

 

 

HR1077 - 3 - LRB095 20393 DRJ 47889 r

1     WHEREAS, MRSA is a preventable disease when appropriate
2 hygienic practices, such as hand washing and appropriate first
3 aid for open wounds and active skin infections, are followed;
4 therefore, be it
 
5     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
6 NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
7 we:
8         (1) recognize the need to apply what is already known
9     about reducing the transmission of infections in hospitals
10     and rationalizing antibiotic prescribing practices;
11         (2) recognize the need to pursue operational research
12     to find the best ways of preventing hospital- and
13     community-acquired Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus
14     aureus (MRSA) and developing new antibiotics for improving
15     care for MRSA patients;
16         (3) recognize the importance of raising awareness of
17     MRSA and methods of preventing MRSA infections;
18         (4) support the work of advocates and organizations in
19     educating, supporting, and providing hope for individuals
20     and their families affected by community and healthcare
21     associated infections; and
22         (5) designate the month of March 2008 as "MRSA
23     Awareness Month".