CASES of potentially-fatal "superbug" infections have soared at Southampton hospitals, new figures reveal.

The number of hospital-acquired MRSA infections at Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust has risen from 53 cases in 2002-03 to 62 in 2003-04 - up 17 per cent.

This was a rate of 0.20 cases per 1,000 hospital beds compared to 0.13 cases per 1,000 beds a year earlier.

The figures come just three weeks after bosses at Southampton General Hospital were forced to close the intensive care cardiac ward when four people contracted the bug.

A fifth case was later confirmed, along with a sixth suspected one.

The trust, which covers the city's Southampton General, Royal South Hants and Princess Anne hospitals, stressed rigorous infection control measures were in place to contain the outbreak.

Meanwhile, Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust had 18 MRSA cases last year - an infection rate of 0.10 per 1,000 beds. This compared to 13 cases in 2002-03 - a 0.07 infection rate.

Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Trust was second best in England and Wales for tackling superbugs, according to figures published by the Department of Health. It bucked the national trend, with just eight cases last year - an infection rate of 0.05. This compared to 16 cases and a 0.10 infection rate in 2002-03.

The figures were published as a report from the National Audit Office blamed poor working practices in hospitals and a continuing lack of cleanliness and hygiene for rising infection rates.

"The NAO report is an important reminder that everyone in the NHS needs to keep infection control at the top of their agenda.

"Nationally, infections caused by MRSA - methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus - increased from 7,384 in 2002-03 to 7,647 in 2003-04 which is a rise of 3.6 per cent.

Guy & St Thomas' NHS Trust in London had the highest MRSA rate with 0.45 cases per 1,000 beds.

The best-performing was Hereford Hospitals NHS Trusts, with a rate of 0.04 cases.

On Monday, Mr Reid urged patients to complain about dirty wards in a bid to prevent the spread of life-threatening superbugs.

He made his demand while unveiling a new plan to tackle hospital-acquired bugs called Towards Cleaner Hospitals and Lower Rates of Infection.

He wants to bring in experts from abroad to help the NHS battle the drug-resistant bacteria and pass more control to front-line staff.

The plan also involves:

Ensuring every hospital publishes and displays infection rates;

Asking local patients forums to conduct cleanliness inspections four times a year;

Introducing bedside phones so patients and visitors can contact hospitals cleaning services.

Hospital-acquired infections hit about 100,000 people each year in England, resulting in an estimated 5,000 deaths.

MRSA first appeared in the 1960s but has reached epidemic levels in the last few years. Some strains are resistant to almost all known antibiotics, and fighting it already costs the NHS an estimated £1 billion a year.