title: Bed occupancy and overcrowding as determinant factors in the incidence of MRSA infections within general ward settings.
abstract: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) incidence and bed occupancy rates at St Luke's Hospital, Malta, were assessed over a 24-month period. A significant positive correlation was established (r=0.463; P<0.05) between new cases of MRSA infections and overall levels of bed occupancy. This would imply that overcrowding may be a relevant factor in MRSA spread within hospitals, even in non-intensive care settings.
authors.affiliation: Infection Control Unit, St Luke's Hospital, G'Mangia MSD08, Malta. michael.a.borg@gov.mt
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Borg
mesh_terms: D001509:Bed Occupancy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D003441:Crowding; D006746:Hospital Bed Capacity, 500 and over; D016519:Hospitals, Religious; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D017053:Infection Control; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008319:Malta / Q000453:epidemiology; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000600:supply & distribution; D010362:Patients' Rooms; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus; D016526:Workload