title: Gentamicin-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: epidemiology and containment of an outbreak.
abstract: An outbreak of gentamicin-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (gentamicin-resistant MRSA) which occurred during 1983-84 at the Whittington Hospital, London, is described. This involved a total of 40 patients and staff and was largely confined to a urology ward. Seventeen of the patients had catheter-associated infections, 11 had wound infections and five had simultaneous infections of the urine and wound. Six members of staff and one patient were colonized with gentamicin-resistant MRSA. Vigorous and extensive infection control methods were carried out together with the use of a topical antibacterial nasal cream, mupirocin (pseudomonic acid). Seventeen patients and staff were treated with this agent and all were cleared of the original gentamicin-resistant MRSA. Sixteen patients who were not treated with mupirocin were discharged home still carrying the epidemic strain. Sporadic cases of gentamicin-resistant MRSA still occur at infrequent intervals.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dacre
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Emmerson
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Jenner
mesh_terms: D001437:Bacteriuria; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006757:Hospital Units; D006801:Humans; D008131:London; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital; D008712:Methicillin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010403:Penicillin Resistance; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014572:Urology
chemical_list: D005839:Gentamicins; D008712:Methicillin