title: Comparison of the clinical significance of methicillin-resistant and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus isolations.
abstract: A prospective study of the incidence and clinical significance of Staphylococcus aureus isolations in patients undergoing surgery in a 600-bed hospital has disclosed that methicillin-sensitive organisms are more likely to be associated with severe infections (36%) than methicillin-resistant organisms (26%), and that resistant organisms are present as a colonization more often (54%) than sensitive organisms (42%). However, once a severe infection has become established, that with a methicillin-resistant organism is associated with an increased length of stay in hospital, and a greater risk of death.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008712:Methicillin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010403:Penicillin Resistance; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000401:mortality; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014946:Wound Infection / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D008712:Methicillin