title: Duration of colonization with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
abstract: The duration of colonization with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is not well defined. During 1564 admissions after a clinical culture or surveillance test positive for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, we retested patients for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization. During the first year after the positive culture result was obtained, 48.8% of the patients (95% confidence interval, 45.8%-51.7%) remained colonized; at 4 years, 21.2% of the patients (95% confidence interval, 13.1%-31.4%) remained colonized.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, Evanston, Illinois 60201, USA. arobicsek@enh.org
authors.forename: Ari
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Robicsek
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Beaumont
authors.forename: Lance R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Peterson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002353:Carrier State / Q000382:microbiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult