Prevalence of nasal methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization in healthcare workers in a Western Australian acute care hospital

P.E.B. Verwer; J.O. Robinson; G.W. Coombs; T. Wijesuriya; R.J. Murray; H.A. Verbrugh; T. Riley; J.L. Nouwen; K.J. Christiansen

doi:10.1007/s10096-011-1408-6

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Prevalence of nasal methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization in healthcare workers in a Western Australian acute care hospital

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Prevalence of nasal methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization in healthcare workers in a Western Australian acute care hospital

P.E.B. Verwer, J.O. Robinson, G.W. Coombs, T. Wijesuriya, R.J. Murray, H.A. Verbrugh, T. Riley, J.L. Nouwen and K.J. Christiansen

European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases, Vol.31(6), pp.1067-1072

2012

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-011-1408-6

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Abstract

Due to a longstanding comprehensive "search and destroy policy", methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is not endemic in Western Australian (WA) acute care hospitals. As the prevalence of MRSA in the community has increased, healthcare workers (HCW) are at risk of importing MRSA into hospitals. We aimed to determine the prevalence of and risk factors for nasal MRSA colonization in our HCW population. A period prevalence study was conducted at an 850-bed tertiary hospital. Basic demographics and a nasal swab were obtained. A total of 1,542 HCWs employed in our centre were screened for MRSA, of whom 3.4% (n=52) were colonized. MRSA colonization was more common in patient care assistants (6.8%) and nurses (5.2%) than in allied health professionals (1.7%) and doctors (0.7%) (p< 0.01). Working in "high-risk" wards that cared for MRSA colonized/infected patients was the strongest risk factor for HCW MRSA colonization (p<0.001). ST1-IV and ST78-IV (the most common community clones in the region) were the most frequently identified clones. In conclusion, MRSA colonization of HCWs occurs primarily in HCWs caring for patients colonized or infected with MRSA. Surveillance screening of HCWs should be regularly performed on wards with patients with high MRSA colonization prevalence to prevent further spread in the hospital.

Details

Title: Prevalence of nasal methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization in healthcare workers in a Western Australian acute care hospital
Authors/Creators: P.E.B. Verwer (Author/Creator) - Erasmus University Rotterdam
J.O. Robinson (Author/Creator) - Curtin University
G.W. Coombs (Author/Creator) - Curtin University
T. Wijesuriya (Author/Creator) - Royal Perth Hospital
R.J. Murray (Author/Creator) - Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital
H.A. Verbrugh (Author/Creator) - Erasmus University Rotterdam
T. Riley (Author/Creator) - Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital
J.L. Nouwen (Author/Creator) - Erasmus University Rotterdam
K.J. Christiansen (Author/Creator) - Royal Perth Hospital
Publication Details: European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases, Vol.31(6), pp.1067-1072
Publisher: Springer Verlag
Identifiers: 991005544119207891
Copyright: © Springer-Verlag 2011.
Murdoch Affiliation: Murdoch University
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Citation topics: 1 Clinical & Life Sciences; 1.23 Antibiotics & Antimicrobials; 1.23.173 MRSA and VRE
Web Of Science research areas: Infectious Diseases; Microbiology
ESI research areas: Microbiology