III 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 454 

Designating the month of March 2008 as ‘‘MRSA Awareness Month’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 14, 2008 

Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. HATCH, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. SPECTER, and 

Mr. BROWN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 

the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Designating the month of March 2008 as ‘‘MRSA Awareness 

Month’’. 

Whereas Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) 

is a type of infection that is resistant to treatment with 

the usual antibiotics and is one of the most common 

pathogens that cause Healthcare-Associated Infections 

(HAIs) in the United States and in many parts of the 

world; 

Whereas a study led by the Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention estimates that in 2005 more than 94,000 

invasive MRSA infections occurred in the United States 

and more than 18,500 of these infections resulted in 

death; 


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•SRES 454 IS 

Whereas the percentage of Staphylococcus aureus infections 

in the United States that are attributable to MRSA has 

grown from 2 percent in 1974 to 63 percent in 2004; 

Whereas the annual number of hospitalizations associated 

with MRSA infections, including both HAIs and community-based infections, more than tripled between 1999 

and 2005, from 108,600 to 368,600; 

Whereas approximately 85 percent of all invasive MRSA infections were associated with healthcare; 

Whereas serious MRSA infections occur most frequently 

among individuals in hospitals and healthcare facilities, 

particularly the elderly, those undergoing dialysis, and 

those with surgical wounds; 

Whereas individuals infected with MRSA are most likely to 

have longer and more expensive hospital stays, with an 

average cost of $35,000; 

Whereas there has been an increase in reported communityacquired staph infection outbreaks, including antibioticresistant strains, in States such as Illinois, New York, 

Kentucky, Virginia, Maryland, Ohio, North Carolina, 

Florida, and the District of Columbia; 

Whereas clusters of community-acquired MRSA infections 

have been reported since the late 1990s among competitive sports teams, correctional facilities, schools, workplaces, military facilities, and other community settings; 

Whereas a person who is not infected with MRSA can be a 

vehicle for the transmission of infections through skin-toskin contact; and 

Whereas many instances of MRSA transmission can be prevented through the use of appropriate hygienic practices, 

such as hand washing and appropriate first aid for open 


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•SRES 454 IS 

wounds and active skin infections, are followed: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) recognizes the need to apply what is already 

3 known about reducing the transmission of infections 

4 in hospitals, effectively using diagnostics, and ensur5 ing appropriate use and utilization of antibiotics to 

6 meet patient and public health needs; 

7 (2) recognizes the need to pursue operational 

8 research to find the best ways of preventing 

9 hospital- and community-acquired Methicillin-resist10 ant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and developing 

11 new antibiotics for improving care for MRSA pa12 tients; 

13 (3) recognizes the importance of raising aware14 ness of MRSA and methods of preventing MRSA in15 fections; 

16 (4) supports the work of advocates, healthcare 

17 practitioners, and science-based experts in edu18 cating, supporting, and providing hope for individ19 uals and their families affected by community and 

20 healthcare associated infections; and 

21 (5) designates the month of March 2008 as 

22 ‘‘MRSA Awareness Month’’. 

Æ 


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