title: A review of staphylococcal colonization and infection rates in a family-centred maternity unit 1979-89.
abstract: The usefulness of routine bacteriological surveillance of newborns in a family-centred maternity unit is explored. Colonization and infection rates were reviewed for a 10 year period. This review demonstrated a correlation between infection and colonization rates only when the colonization rate with Staphylococcus aureus was greater than 40%. The ability of this unit in the last years of the review to maintain a colonization rate of less than 25% enabled the practice to be discontinued and replaced with random point prevalence determinations, and has provided a method for researching various nursery practices. This review looks at the cost of monitoring Staph aureus colonization and summarizes some of the current practices in this unit.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Rush
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Thornley
mesh_terms: D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D017053:Infection Control / Q000191:economics; D009725:Nurseries, Hospital; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012386:Rooming-in Care; D012621:Seasons; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*