title: Nasal carriage of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus in vascular surgery.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of nasal carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and to define risk factors allowing identification of high-risk patients for MRSA nasal carriage at admission to the vascular surgery unit. From March 23, 2004 to July 13, 2004, screening for nasal carriage of MRSA was conducted at admission to the vascular surgery unit and 1 week thereafter. To analyze risk factors for MRSA nasal carriage at admission to the vascular surgery unit, a case-control study was carried out in patients presenting colonization at the time of admission. A total of 308 patients underwent nasal screening for MRSA. Thirteen were colonized with MRSA (nine at admission and four acquired), i.e., 4.2% of patients. Methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) was found in 11.4% of patients who underwent screening. Six patients with MRSA infection were identified during the study period. The two patients who acquired infection were colonized at the time of admission. Arrival from another health-care facility and from another department was a significant risk factor for carriage of MRSA. The prevalence of nasal carriage in vascular surgery was 4.2%. Nasal screening is highly cost-effective since 60% of MRSA carriers were undetected using diagnostic specimens alone. French recommendations issued for cardiac and orthopedic surgery by the consensus conference on preoperative management of infectious risk on March 5, 2004, should be extended to vascular surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology and Hospital Hygiene, Trousseau University Hospital, Tours, France. v.morange@chu-tours.fr
authors.forename: Virginie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Morange-Saussier
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Giraudeau
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: van der Mee
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lermusiaux
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Quentin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D008875:Middle Aged; D009666:Nose / Q000382:microbiology*; D010343:Patient Admission; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013503:Surgery Department, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*