Scientific evidence provided by PILGRIM research will be translated into guidelines and recommendations for healthcare workers, persons specifically at risk of exposure to MRSA ST398 and the public in general. This is achieved by public and professional engagement. Dissemination activities are specifically targeted at the different audiences. Multiplicators such as professional organisations are used to achieve maximum outreach. A focus is put on Member States currently affected by MRSA ST398-related health issues, but instruments are applicable in a wider context. General awareness of society towards new resistant bacteria and nosocomial infection is promoted. Increased awareness will assure early detection of MRSA ST398 should it spread to more regions. Early detection and accelerated control will prevent cases related to nosocomial infection with such pathogens and thus promote health and prevent related costs.
Assessed and approved control strategies can be integrated in control policy leading to the development of more effective guidelines. This impact will be assured in PILGRIM through dissemination activities targeted at policy level. An approach coordinated across Europe is required as colonised persons can carry resistant bacteria into previously not-affected regions.
Benefits
PILGRIM will provide novel instruments for decontamination of environments. Such technology will add to the choice of effective, non-toxic and practical control measures applicable to healthcare settings. Importantly, these are control strategies not building on the use of antimicrobials but using an environment sanitation approach. These technologies are effective not only for MRSA but will have similar effects on other pathogens thus creating synergies with other pathogen control and general hygiene policies. This will impact on the cost-effectiveness of installing such technology in hospitals.
Additionally, PILGRIM developments provide a technology testing platform (TTP) resolving the bottle neck which currently prevents new products to be tested and approved. The TTP particularly supports SMEs who do not have the means to develop realistic testing environments of their own. The TTP also assures evidence-based evaluation of new technology and accelerated release of cost-effective products to the market.
Activities
Electronic Newsletter: a six-monthly electronic newsletter to to further and continuously provide the latest information on nosocomial infections related to new strains of MRSA as well as on the project development and new findings, will be provided.
Brochures/Factsheets: Two brochures and factsheets, one devoted to human health and one to animal health, shall inform the different stakeholders on newly gained knowledge related to ST398 and on combating infection.
Scientific publications and presentations: The consortium wishes to discuss its scientific approach and major scientific findings with other top scientists involved in research on nosocomial infectious diseases. Further will individual PILGRIM partner disseminate their specific scientific results of the PILGRIM project trough publications in peer-viewed journals.
Providing new knowledge and guidelines for practitioners: For this purpose press conferences, press releases and presentations at meetings of interst groups’ organisations and to policy makers are held.
Training projects: In order to disseminate the scientific results of the PILGRIM project individual partners will integrate these in other actions they are involved in.
Establishing Technology Testing Plattform for combating nosocomial infection: One of PILGRIM`s key activities to exploit the project results and to promote the development of such technologies is to establish an environment in which companies can test and validate their technologies and solutions for MRSA decolonisation and decontamination under conditions which model healthcare environments are lacking.