title: Prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in invasive isolates from southern and eastern Mediterranean countries.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Efforts aimed at curtailing the ever increasing spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) require effective information of its epidemiology. However, knowledge about the situation in southern and eastern countries of the Mediterranean is incomplete since reports have been sporadic and difficult to compare.
  
  
  METHODS
  Over a 36 month period from 2003 to 2005, the ARMed project collected more than 5000 susceptibility test results of invasive isolates of S. aureus from blood cultures routinely processed within participating laboratories servicing 62 hospitals situated in Algeria, Cyprus, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, the median MRSA proportion was 39% (interquartile range: 27.1% to 51.1%). The highest proportions of MRSA were reported by Jordan, Egypt and Cyprus, where more than 50% of the invasive isolates were methicillin-resistant. Considerable variation was identified in the proportion of MRSA in hospitals within the same country.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It appears that most of the countries in the Mediterranean region are experiencing a surge in MRSA infections. This requires a greater focus to identify relevant drivers of resistance and implement effective practices in order to address them, especially improved infection control and antibiotic consumption practices.
authors.affiliation: Infection Control Unit, Mater Dei Hospital, Msida MSD05, Malta. michael.a.borg@gov.mt
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Borg
authors.forename: Marlieke
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Kraker
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Scicluna
authors.forename: Nienke
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: van de Sande-Bruinsma
authors.forename: Edine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tiemersma
authors.forename: Jos
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Monen
authors.forename: Hajo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Grundmann
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001769:Blood / Q000382:microbiology; D003470:Culture Media; D006801:Humans; D019083:Mediterranean Region / Q000453:epidemiology; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D015995:Prevalence; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D003470:Culture Media