title: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in an Austrian urological department: 10 years experience covering 95.161 patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  So far, few data is available on Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections in urology. To obtain a better insight into MRSA infections, we studied prevalence, colonization and infection site and clinical implications of MRSA in a urological department over a 10-year period.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study of all patients diagnosed with MRSA for the first time over a 10-year period was set-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between 2000 and 2009, a total of 95.161 in- and outpatients were seen at our department. The prevalence of patients with newly diagnosed MRSA was low, that is, <0.1 % per year (mean 0.07%, 0.02-0.1 %). In total, 62 MRSA cases were identified over a 10-year period. MRSA incidence was 10 times higher in inpatients (0.2 %) than in outpatients (0.02 %). Asymptomatic MRSA colonization was present in 25/62 patients (40.3 %), the remaining 59.7 % (37/62) showed clinical symptoms: MRSA positive swabs from open wounds were seen in 10/62 patients (16.1 %). Urinary tract infections were seen in 26/10 patients (41.9 %), while life-threatening MRSA sepsis occurred in one patient only over a decade.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In summary, we observed very low rates of MRSA colonization and infection. Still, complications like delayed wound healing, development of abscess and even sepsis may occur.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology and Andrology, Donauspital, Langobardenstrasse 122, Vienna, 1220, Austria. stefanheidler@ymail.com
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Heidler
authors.forename: Friederike
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Asboth
authors.forename: Can
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mert
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Madersbacher
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006748:Hospital Departments / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D055815:Young Adult