40 - Increased incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) outside the hospital: an emerging clinical problem
Rivista: Riv Med Lab - JLM, Vol. 2, N. 4, 2001 (SIRSE Srl ed.)
A. Camporese, G. Tizianel
Abstract. Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major nosocomial pathogen, with
worldwide outbreaks in the hospitals.
From a problem almost exclusively encountered in hospital patients, MRSA infection has
become also outside the hospital a cause of urinary tract, skin, soft tissue and even systemic infections,
but the true incidence of MRSA in the community is not yet known .
Even though the origin of the emerging MRSA strains is not known, the prevalence of these strains in
the community seems likely to increase substantially.
Our study was conducted between January 1998 and June 2001 to estimate the evolution of MRSA in
our community. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of MRSA in outpatients with acute
and chronic infections.
During the study, a total of 423 Staphylococcus aureus strains were isolated from outpatients: 93 in
1998, 117 in 1999, 149 in 2000 and 64 in the first six months of 2001, obtained from various clinical
specimens, i.e. wounds and soft tissue exudates, pus, urine samples, and others.
A retrospective review shows that the rate of MRSA in our region increased during the years and such
an increase seems to be extended to acute and chronic outpatients with several community infections.
Previous hospital admission and cross transmissions between community and non-hospital nursing
homes and/or residential home care centers seem to be, as other studies showed, an important risk factor
for the acquisition of MRSA in our community.
The growing rate of MRSA and the incidence of MRSA community infections will require efficacious
and rapid infection control measures.