NEW figures have revealed that Pembrokeshire and Derwen NHS Trust has one of the lowest rates in Wales for superbug MRSA infection.

Last week the Welsh Assembly released blood stream infection rates for individual NHS Trusts for the first time.

They showed that there were six occurrences of MRSA per 100,000 bed days within Pembrokeshire and Derwen.

Part of the reason for that, says Martin Sheppard, head of the Trust's Infection Control team, is that most of the patients treated are in the low risk category.

"The more high-risk patients you have, then the higher the MRSA infection rates will be, even if more stringent infection control measures are put in place."

Mr Sheppard added: "We have good basic infection control procedures in place, and are delighted to see these are sufficient to keep our rate of MRSA infections as the lowest in Wales.

"However, it's unfair to criticise other Trusts with higher rates without looking at the reasons for this."

He said hospitals with services such as renal dialysis and cardiac surgery will always have more cases than hospitals where such services are not offered.

The figures also show that there are 32 occurrences of E.coli per 100,000 bed days for Pembrokeshire and Derwen.

MRSA occurs 19 times every 100,000 bed days. Both are at or below the Welsh average.

However, the Trust estimates that hospital-acquired or healthcare-associated infection makes up just 25-35% of all infections.

Mr Sheppard added: "I think it is a shame that the figures were not further analysed to show the difference between patients who came to the hospital with infection, and those who developed infection while at hospital."

The figures are based on the period of October 1st 2004 to September 30th 2005.