Abstract
Active surveillance cultures (ASC) for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were performed at the time of admission to ward A of this hospital since June 2008. Ward A admits patients for cardiovascular/nephrology/apoplexy medicine and cardiovascular surgery. To assess the effectiveness of ASC, the incidence of MRSA carriage and infection was assessed for one year before and after introduction of ASC. The proportion of MRSA-positive admissions was high (approximately 10.2%) in ward A. Before introduction of ASC, the number of MRSA carriers was 34 (imported: 11; nosocomial infection: 15; unknown: 8) and the number of MRSA-infected patients was 9 (imported: 2; nosocomial: 5; unknown: 2). After introduction of ASC, the number of MRSA carriers was 66 (imported: 58; nosocomial infection: 8) and the number of MRSA-infected patients was 4 (imported: 3; nosocomial: 1). These findings suggest that ASC helped to identify MRSA reservoirs, and the introduction of contact precautions reduced the incidence of nosocomial MRSA infections. ASC performed at the time of admission in patients with higher risk for MRSA infections is effective to prevent nosocomial MRSA transmissions and occurrence of MRSA infections.
