Single rooms may help to prevent nosocomial bloodstream infection and cross-transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in intensive care units.
OBJECTIVE
Nosocomial infections remain a major problem in intensive care units. Several authorities have recommended housing patients in single rooms to prevent cross-transmission of potential pathogens, but this issue is currently debated. The aim of the present study was to compare the rate of nosocomial cross-contamination between patients hosted in single rooms versus bay rooms.


METHODS
Prospective observational data acquisition over 2.5 years.


METHODS
A 14-bed medico-surgical ICU, composed of six single-bed rooms plus a six-bed and a two-bed bay room served by the same staff.


METHODS
All patients admitted from 1 July 2002 to 31 December 2004.


METHODS
None.


RESULTS
Prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in admitted patients was 1.1% and acquisition rate 2.4%. The incidence density of MRSA acquisition was 4.1 [95% CI 2.7-6.3]/1,000 patient-days in bay rooms versus 1.3 [0.5-3.4]/1,000 patient-days in single rooms (p<0.001). Pseudomonas spp. acquisition rate was 3.9 [2.5-6.1]/1,000 patient-days in bay rooms versus 0.7 [0.2-2.4]/1,000 patient-days in single rooms (p<0.001), and Candida spp. colonization was 38.4 [33.3-44.1]/1,000 patient-days in bay rooms versus 13.8 [10.2-18.6]/1,000 patient-days (p<0.001). By multivariate analysis, the relative risk of MRSA, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida spp. acquisition in single rooms or cubicles versus bay rooms was 0.65, 0.61 and 0.75 respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that in an institution where MRSA is not hyperendemic, infection control measures may be more effective to prevent cross-transmission of microorganisms in patients housed in single rooms.
Bracco
David
D
Department of Anaesthesia, Montreal General Hospital, McGill University Health Center, Room D10-145-3, 1650 Cedar Avenue, H3G 1A4, Montreal, Canada. david.bracco@mcgill.ca.|Intensive Care Unit, Department of Medicine, Montreal University Hospital, Montreal, Canada. david.bracco@mcgill.ca.
Dubois
Marc-Jacques
MJ
Intensive Care Unit, Department of Medicine, Montreal University Hospital, Montreal, Canada.
Bouali
Redouane
R
Intensive Care Unit, Department of Medicine, Ottawa General & Civic Hospital, Ottawa, Canada.
Eggimann
Philippe
P
Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland.
D000368:Aged; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods*; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D008875:Middle Aged; D010362:Patients' Rooms / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011792:Quebec / Q000453:epidemiology; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*