title: Epidemiology, clinical and laboratory characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia in a university hospital in UK.
abstract: There has been a persistent increase in the number of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and meticillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) bacteraemia in the UK. This prospective study included 147 episodes of S. aureus bacteraemia in 139 patients over a 14 month period, from 1 November 2001 to 31 December 2002. Eighty-seven (59%) episodes in 84 patients and 60 (41%) in 56 patients were due to MRSA and MSSA, respectively. An intra-vascular device (29, 33%) and a soft-tissue (15, 25%) source were the commonest identifiable foci for bacteraemia in the MRSA and MSSA groups, respectively. Attributable mortality in the MRSA group was higher than the MSSA group (33% vs 16%; P=0.03) but there was no statistical difference for either attributable (P=0.35) or crude (P=0.39) mortality between the two groups, when adjusted for age, respiratory focus and inappropriate antibiotic therapy. A respiratory source (P=0.02) and inappropriate antibiotic therapy (P=0.02) were associated with attributable mortality in the MRSA group whereas advanced age was the only risk factor (P=0.02) in the MSSA group. The present study shows that S. aureus bacteraemia continues to be a serious infection mostly affecting the elderly and emphasizes the need for improved strategy in the control and management of this condition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK. ira.das@uhb.nhs.uk
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: O'Connell
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lambert
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D010802:Phylogeny; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology