Overview

The threat posed by anti-microbial resistant pathogens, especially in the context of health care associated infections, has taken on an increasingly pan-European dimension thanks to greater population mobility and provision of cross-border health care. Risk communication involves informing patients, health care workers and the wider public about health risks and helps to encourage risk- compensating behaviours. This article examines risk communication with regards to Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in a number of different European countries, and discusses how lessons from the past can be used to improve future approaches to communicating risk.