Reduction in the incidence of MRSA with use of alcohol-based hand rub solutions and gloves

• Published in: Journal of infection and chemotherapy : official journal of the Japan Society of Chemotherapy Vol. 18; no. 2; pp. 269 - 271
• Main Authors: Matsumoto, Kazuaki, Shigemi, Akari, Yaji, Keiko, Shimodozono, Yoshihiro, Takeda, Yasuo, Yamada, Katsushi, Orita, Michiyo, Tokuda, Koichi, Nishi, Junichiro, Ikawa, Kazuro, Morikawa, Norifumi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2012; Springer Japan
• Subjects: Alcohols - administration & dosage; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; Antimicrobial use density; Cross Infection - epidemiology; Cross Infection - microbiology; Disinfectants - administration & dosage; Gloves, Protective - utilization; Hand Disinfection - methods; Hand hygiene; Health Personnel; Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Medicine; Humans; Hygiene; Incidence; Infectious Diseases; Medical Microbiology; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA); Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus - isolation & purification; Staphylococcal Infections - epidemiology; Staphylococcal Infections - microbiology; Virology; Hand hygiene; Antimicrobial use density; Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA); Methicillin-resistant; MRSA
• ISSN: 1341-321X; 1437-7780
• DOI: 10.1007/s10156-011-0291-5

Abstract Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is highly contagious. It is spread by direct contact with MRSA-infected people or objects. Healthcare workers’ hands are the most common vehicle for the transmission of healthcare-associated pathogens from patient to patient and within the healthcare environment. The present study aimed to investigate the correlation between the incidence of MRSA among Staphylococcus aureus recovered from clinical culture and the use of alcohol-based hand rub solutions or gloves and antimicrobial use density (AUD). All data were examined every 6 months between January 2005 and June 2008. The increasing use of alcohol-based hand rub solutions was correlated with a decreasing incidence of recovery of MRSA from clinical cultures ( r2 = 0.58). A statistically significant ( P < 0.05) correlation ( r2 = 0.68) was observed between glove use and the incidence of MRSA. On the other hand, we did not find any correlation between the AUD of each antibiotic group and the incidence of MRSA. Thus, we suggest that it is important to use not only alcohol-based hand rubs, but also gloves, because MRSA is transmitted from patient to patient by the hands of healthcare workers.