title: [Epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus nosocomial infections in a high-risk neonatal unit].
abstract: Nosocomial infections are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. In developing countries it is difficult to carry out effective surveillance and control programs for this type of infection because of the cost in both human and material resources. These considerations prompted us to perform a prospective study to determine the epidemiologic and microbiologic characteristics of nosocomial infections due to Staphylococcus aureus in the High-risk Neonatal Unit (HRNU) of the Instituto Autónomo Hospital Universitario de Los Andes (IAHULA), during the period of November 1997 to October 1998. Among a total of 120 microorganisms, 24 (20%) strains of Staphylococcus aureus were isolated; 47% were recovered from blood and 33% from conjunctive samples. Among the cases of conjunctivitis, S. aureus was the only pathogen isolated in 42%. Twenty of the 24 Staphylococcus aureus strains (83%) were methicillin-resistant (MRSA). According to their resistance profiles, we established 12 groups of strains from neonates with nosocomial infections and 1 group of strains from the two carriers among the healthcare personnel detected by microbiological screening. The MeRGmR pattern was the most frequent. Plasmid analysis disclosed two profiles, each having a plasmid molecular weight over 23.130 bp. The MRSA strains isolated from the neonates and those isolated from the carriers showed the same plasmid profile. This suggests that the healthcare personnel may have acted as reservoirs of the MRSA strains found in neonates with nosocomial infection.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Investigación en Bacteriología Roberto Gabaldón, Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Edificio Gonzalo González, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida, Venezuela. evelazco@ula.ve
authors.forename: Elsa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Velazco
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nieves
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Araque
authors.forename: Zoila
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Calderas
mesh_terms: D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010957:Plasmids; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D014687:Venezuela / Q000453:epidemiology