title: Prevalence of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus in a combat support hospital in Iraq.
abstract: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in health-care settings results in life-threatening infections. We examined the incidence of MRSA at the combat support hospital located at the Ibn Sina Hospital in Baghdad, Iraq. We compiled isolate data from 2005 to 2009 characterizing antibiotic susceptibilities, annual trends, patient populations, infection sites, and hospital locations. Approximately 46.1% of S. aureus were MRSA, with increase in numbers of yearly isolates. MRSA was isolated in higher numbers from U.S. military personnel. Non-U.S. patient isolates displayed higher antibiotic susceptibility compared to U.S. military personnel isolates. Outpatient clinic, forward operating bases, and intermediate care ward 1 isolated the most MRSA. Common isolation sites were wound and skin cultures. Community-acquired MRSA was likely present in 291 out of 303 isolates based on antibiotic susceptibility. Our data suggests that most MRSA were community-acquired with limited nosocomial spread. We recommend increases in combat support hospital molecular lab capability to rapidly identify both MRSA categories.
authors.affiliation: Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA.
authors.forename: Edgie-Mark
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Co
authors.forename: Edward F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Keen
authors.forename: Wade K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Aldous
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006772:Hospitals, Military; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007493:Iraq / Q000453:epidemiology; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents