title: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium difficile, and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli in the community: assessing the problem and controlling the spread.
abstract: Although health care-associated methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus and clostridium difficile strains are primarily a risk to hospital patients, people are increasingly concerned about their potential to circulate in the community and the home. They are thus looking for support in order to understand the extent of the risk, and guidance on how to deal with situations where preventing infection from these species becomes their responsibility. A further concern are the community-acquired MRSA and C. difficile strains, and other antibiotic resistant strains circulating in the community such as the Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) Escherichia coli. In response to concerns about such organisms in the community, the International Scientific Forum on Home Hygiene has produced a report evaluating MRSA, C. difficile, and ESBL-producing E. coli from a community viewpoint. The report summarizes what is known about their prevalence in the community, their mode of transmission in the home, and the extent to which they represent a risk. It also includes "advice sheets" giving practical guidance on what to do when there is a risk of infection transmission in the home.
authors.affiliation: International Scientific Forum on Home Hygiene, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Morningside, WillowGreen Lane, Little Leigh, Northwich, Cheshire CW8 4RB, UK. sallybloomfield@aol.com
authors.forename: Sally F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Bloomfield
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cookson
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Falkiner
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Griffith
authors.forename: Vivien
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cleary
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000187:drug effects; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001618:beta-Lactamases