§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the likely change over the next 10 years in the incidence of cases of(a) MRSA,(b) TB and (c) Hepatitis C; and what action is he taking to deal with such changes. [105424]
§ Yvette Cooper[holding answer 20 January 2000]: MRSA is the antibiotic resistant form of Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium which is carried harmlessly on the skin by at least a third of the population. About 80 per cent. of people who acquire MRSA similarly carry it harmlessly on the skin and do not suffer from any infection. Action is in 106W hand to improve the surveillance of MRSA and also the prevention and control of hospital acquired infection, including MRSA. The extent to which this work will impact on the cases of incidence over the next 10 years is unpredictable.
Official notifications of tuberculosis gradually fell to an all time low of 5,086 in England and Wales in 1987 from about 50,000 cases a year in the 1950s. Since the early 1990s there have been overall small year on year increases in total notified cases which are continuing. Provisional notifications for 1998 were just over 6,000. While some of this may be due to better ascertainment of cases, it has occurred against the backdrop of a worldwide resurgence of this disease that will, inevitably, continue to have some impact on tuberculosis in the United Kingdom through travel and immigration.
We are working to minimise the effect of worldwide developments and have taken steps to strengthen the surveillance, prevention and control of tuberculosis, including drug resistant tuberculosis.
The incidence of hepatitis C infection is not known as the virus is usually acquired without symptoms. Currently, the most frequent route of transmission of hepatitis C is through sharing of blood-contaminated equipment by injecting drug misusers. Preliminary evidence suggests that the prevalence of hepatitis C infection in newer injectors may be lower than in the past. We are continuing to promote harm minimisation measures to try to accelerate any downward trend.
However, there is likely to be an increase in the diagnosis of hepatitis C in the next 10 years as individuals who have carried the virus for some time are identified through wider testing of groups who have been at risk. Improved treatments are becoming available to help prevent progression to serious liver disease.