title: Trends in sources of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteraemia: data from the national mandatory surveillance of MRSA bacteraemia in England, 2006-2009.
abstract: The national mandatory surveillance system for reporting meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteraemia in England has captured data on the source of reported bacteraemias since 2006. This study analysed episodes of MRSA bacteraemia (N=4404) where a probable source of infection was reported between 2006 and 2009. In 2009, this information was available for one-third of reported episodes of MRSA bacteraemia. Of these, 20% were attributed to intravascular devices and 28% were attributed to skin and soft tissue infection. Sixty-four percent of the patients were male, and urinary tract infection was a significantly more common source of MRSA bacteraemia in males compared with females (12% vs 3%). Detection of bacteraemia within two days of hospital admission does not reliably discriminate between community- and hospital-associated MRSA bacteraemia as community cases are frequently associated with an invasive procedure/device. Between 2006 and 2009, there was a significant decline in the proportion of episodes of MRSA bacteraemia associated with central vascular catheters [incidence rate ratio (IRR) 0.42, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.29-0.61; P<0.001], peripheral vascular catheters (IRR 0.69, 95% CI 0.48-0.99; P=0.042) and surgical site infection (IRR 0.42, 95% CI 0.25-0.72; P=0.001), and a significant increase in the proportion of episodes of MRSA bacteraemia associated with skin and soft tissue infection (IRR 1.33, 95% CI 1.05-1.69; P=0.017) and attributed to contamination of the specimen (IRR 1.96, 95% CI 1.25-3.06; P=0.003). Since data were not available for all cases, the generalizability of these trends depends on the assumption that records with source data reflect a reasonably random sample of cases in each year. These changes have occurred in the context of a general decline in the rate of MRSA bacteraemia in England since 2006.
authors.affiliation: Healthcare Associated Infection and Antimicrobial Resistance Department, Health Protection Agency, London, UK. jennie.wilson@imperial.nhs.uk
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guy
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Elgohari
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sheridan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lamagni
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pearson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral / Q000009:adverse effects; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D037141:Mandatory Programs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D018461:Soft Tissue Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D013207:Staphylococcal Skin Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology