Long-term efficacy of a program to control methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

The long-term efficacy of a program to control methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was evaluated in a 350-bed university hospital. Three periods were monitored: pre-epidemic (January 1989-November 1989), outbreak (December 1989-June 1990) and control program (July 1990-December 1992)...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inEuropean journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases Vol. 13; no. 1; p. 90
Main Authors Valls, V, Gómez-Herruz, P, González-Palacios, R, Cuadros, J A, Romanyk, J P, Ena, J
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Germany 01.01.1994
Subjects
Carrier State - microbiology
Cross Infection - epidemiology
Cross Infection - mortality
Cross Infection - prevention & control
Disease Outbreaks
Humans
Incidence
Infection Control
Intensive Care Units
Methicillin Resistance
Staphylococcal Infections - epidemiology
Staphylococcal Infections - mortality
Staphylococcal Infections - prevention & control
Staphylococcus aureus
Time Factors
Vancomycin - administration & dosage
Online AccessGet more information

Cover

More Information
Summary:The long-term efficacy of a program to control methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was evaluated in a 350-bed university hospital. Three periods were monitored: pre-epidemic (January 1989-November 1989), outbreak (December 1989-June 1990) and control program (July 1990-December 1992) periods. Control measures included cohort isolation, patient care measures and therapy (oral cotrimoxazole plus fusidic acid ointment) of MRSA carriage in patients, roommates and personnel. A total of 117 MRSA-infected patients were detected. For each period respectively, MRSA incidence (number of cases per 1,000 patient-days) was 3.2, 8.2 and 2.0 in the intensive care unit (ICU) and 0.08, 0.23 and 0.26 in the general wards. During the outbreak there was a 2.7-fold overall increase of baseline MRSA incidence (p < 0.02). The crude mortality was 68% and the attributable mortality was estimated to be 50%. The program was estimated to have prevented 76% (CI95 28-91, p < 0.0001) of expected MRSA cases and 85% (CI95 62-94, p < 0.0001) of expected fatalities due to MRSA in the ICU, but it had no significant effect in the general wards. The program did not control vancomycin consumption.
ISSN:0934-9723
DOI:10.1007/BF02026133