How can I avoid catching MRSA?

MRSA is usually passed on by human contact, with the bacteria most commonly spread via the hands. This means that hospital staff and visitors should always thoroughly wash and dry their hands before and after seeing a patient. Fast-acting, special antiseptic solutions, such as alcohol rubs or gels, are now used in most hospitals - you might find dispensers placed by patients' beds and at the entrance to clinical areas for use by staff and visitors.

Hospital staff should maintain very high standards of hygiene and take extra care when treating patients with MRSA. Before and after caring for any patient, hospital staff should make sure they have thoroughly washed and dried their hands. Staff should wear disposable gloves when they have any physical contact with open wounds, for example when changing dressings, handling needles or inserting an intravenous drip.

If you're concerned about hygiene, don't be afraid to ask the doctor or nurse treating you, or your visitors, if they have washed their hands.

If you are being treated in hospital, you can reduce your risk of infection by taking sensible precautions:

• Keep your hands and body clean. Take soap, a flannel and moist hand-wipes with you, as well as your own razor.
• Always wash your hands after using the toilet or commode (many hospitals now routinely offer a hand-wipe).
• Always wash your hands or clean them with a hand-wipe immediately before and after eating a meal.
• Make sure your bed area is regularly cleaned and report any unclean toilet or bathroom facilities to staff.