title: [Prevalence and risk factors of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization among residents living in long-term care facilities in southern Spain].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has become the most important problem related to multiresistant microorganisms in the health care system. Long-term-care facilities (LTCFs) are one of the main reservoirs of this microorganism. The objective of our study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with MRSA colonization among subjects living in LTCFs in southern Spain.
  
  
  METHODS
  During the period from 1st April 2009 to 30th June 2010, all subjects living in 17 LTCFs of our area were included in a cross-sectional study. Patients were screened by using nasal swabs and these were cultured in a chromogenic media. Suspected S. aureus colonies were identified by the latex agglutination test. Testing for antimicrobial identification and susceptibility was performed by an automated system. A logistic regression model was built, in which to be colonized by MRSA was the dependent variable, and covariates were entered if a difference with P<.2 was detected in the bivariate analysis. Residents were classified as MRSA carriers, methicillin-susceptible S. aureus carriers and non-carriers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven hundreds and forty-four subjects were included. There were 481 (65%) females. The median (Q1-Q3) age was 81 (74-86) years. Seventy-nine (10.6%) and 67 (9%) were colonized by MRSA and methicillin-susceptible S. aureus, respectively. Significant risk factors for MRSA carriers were recent antibiotic use, previous hospital admission in the last three months, a high comorbidity measured by Charlson index and a history of colonization by MRSA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of MRSA colonization in the LTCFs of our area is similar to that described in others European countries. In our institutions, subjects with recent antibiotic use, a high comorbidity, a history of MRSA colonization and a hospital admission in the last three months are more susceptible to be colonized by MRSA.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario de Valme, Sevilla, Spain. jagarciagar@hotmail.com
authors.forename: José A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: García-García
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Santos-Morano
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.forename: Elía
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bayoll-Serradilla
authors.forename: María L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Martín-Ponce
authors.forename: Salvador
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vergara-López
authors.forename: Luis M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Martín-Rodríguez
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mateos-Gómez
authors.forename: Justo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de la Cueva
authors.forename: Estrella
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martín-Mazuelos
authors.forename: Jesús M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gómez-Mateos
authors.forename: Juan E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Corzo-Delgado
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002353:Carrier State; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013030:Spain; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*