YOUR reporting of the unfortunate experience of a Weymouth family (‘Family's MRSA Anguish’, March 23) implied that baby Lily contracted MRSA while in Dorset County Hospital following her birth.

We would like to make it clear to your readers that there is nothing to suggest that Lily picked up MRSA whilst in hospital.

MRSA is not something that people only encounter in hospitals, it is widespread in the community.

A third of the population at any one time will have MRSA on their skin, and most people will be unaware of it.

It only causes health problems when it enters the bloodstream through a wound and leads to infection.

We are concerned that your report will heighten anxiety levels in expectant mothers due to give birth at Dorset County Hospital when there is no cause for concern. We have never had a case of a baby contracting MRSA on our maternity unit.

We have had a small number of cases of mothers affected by MRSA following caesarean sections. However, as a result of this we now screen all women for MRSA before planned caesareans so they can be treated before they give birth.

We are pleased that Lily and her family are now recovering. If Lily's parents have any further worries about Lily's health or treatment, our infection prevention and control nurse consultant would be happy to meet with them to talk through their concerns.

If any women who are due to give birth are worried about MRSA we would advise them to talk to their midwife or our infection prevention and control nurse consultant Anne Smith.

Alison Tong, Director of Nursing and Infection Prevention and Control, Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust,