title: Trends in the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus associated with discontinuation of an isolation policy.
abstract: The number of patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) before and after discontinuing placement of patients into private rooms was determined. The mean monthly number of patients with MRSA decreased from 34 to 22, and the proportion of S aureus isolates that were MRSA decreased from 34% to 20%. We found no evidence that failure to isolate patients with MRSA resulted in an increased prevalence of MRSA.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center, NY 10457, USA.
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Fazal
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Telzak
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Blum
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Turett
authors.forename: F E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Petersen-Fitzpatrick
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lorian
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006746:Hospital Bed Capacity, 500 and over; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D016134:Organizational Policy; D010356:Patient Isolation; D015995:Prevalence; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*