title: Demographic screening for MRSA may compromise the effectiveness of ring fencing on a joint replacement unit.
abstract: Ring fencing of joint replacement (JR) units has been reported to reduce infections and is recommended by health authorities in Australia and the UK. It has not been determined whether a demographic risk assessment is adequate to prevent the admission of patients colonized with meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) to ring-fenced units. As such, 250 admissions to the JR unit of a suburban Sydney hospital were screened, and MRSA colonization was identified in 2.8% of patients complying with the demographic risk assessment. Demographic risk assessment is not an adequate substitute for physical MRSA screening, and undermines the effectiveness of ring-fencing procedures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Sydney South West Pathology Service, Liverpool, Australia. heathermarie.schmidt@gmail.com
authors.forename: H-M A
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Izon
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Maley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008875:Middle Aged; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055815:Young Adult