Infection with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus among hospital employees.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the spectrum of clinical infection caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in healthcare workers.


METHODS
Case series.


METHODS
Two Veterans Affairs hospitals in which methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA) is endemic.


METHODS
Five employees presenting to employee health or infectious disease clinic.


RESULTS
All employees had had direct exposure to patients colonized with MRSA. Employee infections included cellulitis, impetigo, folliculitis, paronychia, and conjunctivitis. MRSA was isolated from all clinically infected sites and from the anterior nares of two employees. Three employees received a variety of ineffective oral antimicrobials before MRSA was recognized as the causative agent. All infections responded to appropriate therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
Employees of hospitals with endemic MRSA may acquire MRSA infection. Presentation in our employees was that of relatively uncomplicated soft tissue infection, but several employees received inappropriate therapy before bacteriologic diagnosis. We recommend that culture and susceptibility testing be obtained prior to institution of therapy when hospital employees present with soft tissue infection.
Muder
R R
RR
Infectious Disease Section, VA Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15240.
Brennen
C
C
Goetz
A M
AM
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D008875:Middle Aged; D016712:Mupirocin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010414:Pennsylvania; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D012293:Rifampin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D016712:Mupirocin; D012293:Rifampin