Occurrence of nosocomial methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus as a marker for transmission in a surgical intensive care unit in China

Am J Infect Control. 2014 Apr;42(4):436-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2013.11.019.

Abstract

In 2008, an intensive care unit (ICU) in a large Chinese hospital was moved from a 6-bed old ward to a 20-bed new ward. After the move, the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in patients and environmental sites decreased significantly, but the number of ICU-acquired cases per imported MRSA case increased from 1.4 to 4.1. This study suggests that the nurse cohorting level and hand hygiene compliance are strong predicators of MRSA transmission in ICUs.

Keywords: Environmental contamination; Epidemiology; Hand hygiene compliance; Infection control; MRSA; Ward expansion.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • China / epidemiology
  • Critical Care*
  • Cross Infection / epidemiology
  • Cross Infection / microbiology*
  • Cross Infection / transmission*
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Intensive Care Units*
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / isolation & purification*
  • Staphylococcal Infections / epidemiology
  • Staphylococcal Infections / microbiology*
  • Staphylococcal Infections / transmission*