The existence of the so-called superbug is one of the biggest concerns for hospitals. The idea you could be in more danger by going to a hospital is not sitting well with some.
Bacteria are becoming more and more resistant, and that's leading to outbreaks of superbugs in hospitals across the country.
Common types of anti-biotic resistant strains are bugs like MRSA, short for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Another that's becoming well known is C-Difficile.
Doctor Howard Njoo from the Public Health Agency of Canada says "We certainly need to renew our efforts to address infection control in hospitals to prevent transmission."
Njoo says bacteria is easily spread by touching any surface. It's something that's on the mind of many patients CTV News spoke with here in Winnipeg.
"Well C-Difficile is one of the ones you're really afraid of," said one patient at the Misericordia Health Centre. "You want to keep your hands clean and be very careful."
As it turns out patients in Winnipeg may have less to worry about than in other cities. In Ontario, hospitals are urging patients to ask their doctors and nurses to wash their hands before an exam.
But, just because our exposure to superbugs is low right now, experts say things can change quickly.
Infectious disease expert Doctor John Embil says "The person in glass houses never throws stones, because things can change drastically overnight, but we've been able to maintain rates at, or above the national average.
The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority says C-Difficile infection rates have dropped by about half in two years, while cases of MRSA went up slightly in the same period.
There are drugs to treat these bacterium, but many are rapidly losing their effectiveness.
Washing of hands may seem like a low-tech solution, but Embil says it works and it's importance cannot be stressed enough, even for doctors and nurses.
With story by CTV's Jon Hendricks.
