New research has mapped the way that MRSA “superbug” bacteria spread, BBC News has reported. The results suggest that antibiotic-resistant bacteria may often spread from large, inner-city hospitals to smaller regional ones when patients are transferred.

The way that superbugs spread has been researched as part of an intricate study conducted by Scottish researchers, who looked at samples taken across the UK over 53 years. The researchers used genetic techniques to scan patterns and mutations within the various samples and to build up a “family tree” showing how a particular strain (called EMRSA-16) has spread between different hospitals across the country. They found that EMRSA-16 has generally spread by transmission from hospitals in large population centres in London and Glasgow to regional healthcare settings. The researchers suggested that patients’ referrals are an important cause of the spread of this bug across the country.

This type of study can provide useful estimates of transmission routes of MRSA, although there is still a need for further research incorporating a larger number of sampled hospitals to determine the wider UK pattern.