Successful control of nosocomial transmission of the USA300 clone of community-acquired meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a UK paediatric burns centre

• Published in: The Journal of hospital infection Vol. 84; no. 4; pp. 319 - 322
• Main Authors: Patel, M, Thomas, H.C, Room, J, Wilson, Y, Kearns, A, Gray, J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Bacterial diseases; Biological and medical sciences; Burn Units; Burns; Child; Community-Acquired Infections - microbiology; Community-Acquired Infections - transmission; Community-acquired MRSA; Cross Infection - epidemiology; Cross Infection - microbiology; Cross Infection - prevention & control; Disease Transmission, Infectious - prevention & control; Environmental Microbiology; Female; General aspects; Hospitals, Pediatric; Human bacterial diseases; Human infectious diseases. Experimental studies and models; Humans; Infant; Infection Control - methods; Infectious Disease; Infectious diseases; Male; Medical sciences; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus - isolation & purification; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Paediatric burns; PVL; Staphylococcal Infections - epidemiology; Staphylococcal Infections - microbiology; Staphylococcal Infections - prevention & control; Staphylococcal infections, streptococcal infections, pneumococcal infections; Staphylococcus aureus; Traumas. Diseases due to physical agents; United Kingdom - epidemiology; USA300; United Kingdom; Europe; United Kingdom > UK; Community-acquired MRSA; USA300; Paediatric burns; PVL; Human; Nosocomial infection; Transmission; Check; Infection; Prevention; Burn; Community acquired infection; Bacteriosis; Bacteria; Micrococcales; Micrococcaceae; Staphylococcal infection; Child; Public health; Staphylococcus aureus
• ISSN: 0195-6701; 1532-2939
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2013.04.013

Summary An outbreak of the PVL-positive USA300 clone of community-acquired meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) occurred in a UK paediatric burns centre from January to February 2010. Four patients, two staff members and one family member of a patient were affected. The outbreak strain had similar antibiotic susceptibilities to other MRSA seen in the hospital, and was only identified when a patient and a staff member presented simultaneously with skin infections. Infection control measures included screening and decolonization of staff and patients, environmental sampling and enhanced cleaning. Isolation of the outbreak strain from an asymptomatic staff member and the environment demonstrates the potential for CA-MRSA to survive and become endemic in UK hospitals.