Spread of a Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ST80-IV Clone in a Danish Community

2005 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 144-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tinna Urth ◽  
Gitte Juul ◽  
Robert Skov ◽  
Henrik C. Schønheyder

AbstractObjective:We report a community cluster of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Denmark with emphasis on routes of transmission and infection control measures. The objective is to extend knowledge of MRSA in a community setting where a nosocomial link could effectively be ruled out.Design:Population-based observational study from November 1997 until June 2003.Setting:North Jutland County, with approximately 495,000 inhabitants.Subjects:The cluster encompassed 46 individuals and 26 households.Interventions:Infection control measures included repeated visits to affected households by an infection control nurse who undertook screening for carriage among all household members and provided a program for decolonization.Results:The causal strain was identical to a newly described international clone, ST80; SSCmec type IV; and Panton–Valentine leukocidin positive. Plausible routes of transmission included household contact and contact at work, kindergarten, and school. We did not detect a nosocomial source or any secondary cases in hospitals. Transmission by healthcare contact outside the hospital was plausible for three cases. We found evidence that the clone was introduced on more than one occasion to immigrant families from the Middle East. A 5-day decolonization program was successful at first attempt in 15 of 16 households that could be evaluated.Conclusions:Despite the described infection control measures, we continued to see new cases, underlining a need for a national policy to contain MRSA in the community.

Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 393 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Mitevska ◽  
Britney Wong ◽  
Bas G. J. Surewaard ◽  
Craig N. Jenne

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) first emerged after methicillin was introduced to combat penicillin resistance, and its prevalence in Canada has increased since the first MRSA outbreak in the early 1980s. We reviewed the existing literature on MRSA prevalence in Canada over time and in diverse populations across the country. MRSA prevalence increased steadily in the 1990s and 2000s and remains a public health concern in Canada, especially among vulnerable populations, such as rural, remote, and Indigenous communities. Antibiotic resistance patterns and risk factors for MRSA infection were also reported. All studies reported high susceptibility (>85%) to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, with no significant resistance reported for vancomycin, linezolid, or rifampin. While MRSA continues to have susceptibility to several antibiotics, the high and sometimes variable resistance rates to other drugs underscores the importance of antimicrobial stewardship. Risk factors for high MRSA infection rates related to infection control measures, low socioeconomic status, and personal demographic characteristics were also reported. Additional surveillance, infection control measures, enhanced anti-microbial stewardship, and community education programs are necessary to decrease MRSA prevalence and minimize the public health risk posed by this pathogen.


2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (12) ◽  
pp. 2299-2307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenna Junnila ◽  
Tiina Hirvioja ◽  
Esa Rintala ◽  
Kari Auranen ◽  
Kaisu Rantakokko-Jalava ◽  
...  

AbstractThe incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has increased sharply in Hospital District of Southwest Finland (HD). To understand reasons behind this, a retrospective, population-based study covering 10 years was conducted. All new 983 MRSA cases in HD from January 2007 to December 2016 were analysed. Several data sources were used to gather background information on the cases. MRSA cases were classified as healthcare-associated (HA-MRSA), community-associated (CA-MRSA), and livestock contact was determined (livestock-associated MRSA, LA-MRSA). Spa typing was performed to all available strains. The incidence of MRSA doubled from 12.4 to 24.9 cases/100000 persons/year. The proportion of clinical infections increased from 25 to 32% in the 5-year periods, respectively, (p < 0.05). The median age decreased from 61 years in 2007 to 30 years in 2016. HA-MRSA accounted for 68% of all cases, of which 32% associated with 26 healthcare outbreaks. The proportion of CA-MRSA cases increased from 13% in 2007 to 43% in 2016. Of CA-MRSA cases, 43% were among family clusters, 32% in immigrants and 4% were LA-MRSA. The Gini-Simpson diversity index for spa types increased from 0.86 to 0.95 from the first to the second 5-year period. The proportion of a predominant strain t172 decreased from 43% in 2009 to 7% in 2016. The rise in the proportion of CA-MRSA, the switch to younger age groups, the complexity of possible transmission routes and the growing spa-type diversity characterize our current MRSA landscape. This creates challenges for targeted infection control measures, demanding further studies.


2009 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 226-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mandy Wootton ◽  
Timothy R. Walsh ◽  
Eleri M. Davies ◽  
Robin A. Howe

Background.The presence of methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(MRSA) and glycopeptide-intermediateS. aureus(GISA) in hospitals poses a significant challenge to hospital infection control teams. The use of disinfectants for both surface and hand cleaning is an essential part of the infection control measures.Objective.To evaluate the effectiveness of common hospital hand disinfectants against MRSA, GISA, and heterogeneous GISA (hGISA).Methods.For methicillin-susceptible S.aureus(MSSA), MRSA, GISA, and hGISA, the levels of susceptibility to hand disinfectants and their active ingredients were determined. Suspension tests were performed on commercial handwashing products.Results.Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 2-propanol, Chlorhexidine, and hexachlorophene were similar for all phenotypes. The MICs of cetrimide and triclosan were higher for the MRSA, GISA, and hGISA strains than for the MSSA strain. The MICs for the chlorhexidine-containing agents Hibisol and Hibiscrub (AstraZeneca) and for the propanol-containing agent Sterillium (Medline) were 1-2-fold lower for the MSSA strains than for the MRSA, GISA, and hGISA strains. Suspension tests showed that the GISA and hGISA strains were less susceptible to the triclosan-containing agent Aquasept (SSL) than were the MRSA and MSSA strains, with resistance increasing with glycopeptide resistance. Products containing Betadine (Purdue) were more effective against the GISA and hGISA strains than against the MRSA and MSSA strains, especially after the strain was exposed to the product for 30 seconds.Conclusions.Using the EN 1040 standard criteria for the performance of disinfectants, we determined that all agents, except 50% Aquasept for hGISA and 0.33% hexachlorophene for GISA, performed effectively. However, the GISA and hGISA strains were less susceptible to triclosan-containing products, compared with the MRSA stains, but were more susceptible to products containing Betadine.


2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 224-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark I. Garvey ◽  
Craig W. Bradley ◽  
Kerry L. Holden ◽  
Beryl Oppenheim

Aims: We describe the investigation and control of a nosocomial outbreak of Sequence Type (ST) 22 MRSA containing the Panton–Valentine leucocidin (PVL) toxin in an acute multispecialty surgical ward at University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust. Methods: A patient was classed as acquiring methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) if they had a negative admission screen and then had MRSA isolated from a subsequent screen or clinical specimen. Spa typing and pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was undertaken to confirm MRSA acquisitions. Findings: The Infection Prevention and Control Team were alerted to the possibility of an outbreak when two patients acquired MRSA while being on the same ward. In total, five patients were involved in the outbreak where four patients acquired the PVL-MRSA clone from an index patient due to inadequate infection control practice. Two patients who acquired the strain developed a bloodstream infection. Infection control measures included decolonisation of affected patients, screening of all patients on the ward, environmental sampling and enhanced cleaning. Discussion: Our study highlights the potential risk of spread and pathogenicity of this clone in the healthcare setting. Spa typing and PFGE assisted with confirmation of the outbreak and implementation of infection control measures. In outbreaks, microbiological typing should be undertaken as a matter of course as without specialist typing identification of the described outbreak would have been delayed.


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