title: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus epidemic restricted to one health district in Finland: a population-based descriptive study in Pirkanmaa, Finland, years 2001-2011.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been low in the Scandinavian countries, including Finland.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report a population-based, prospective survey of an exceptionally large ongoing MRSA epidemic in a Finnish health district (HD), Pirkanmaa HD, during 2001-2011 caused by 1 strain, spa t067 (FIN-16).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The first FIN-16 case in the HD was identified in 2000. Ten years later, 2447 carriers had been found in 95 different institutions. MRSA in carriers was mostly health care-associated (98%). The epidemic emerged in long-term care facilities and gradually spread to acute hospitals. The majority of carriers were elderly people (median age 78 y). Fifty-two percent of new carriers had an infection with MRSA at the time of detection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence of MRSA in Pirkanmaa HD is substantially higher than the incidence for all of Finland. Temporary projects to control MRSA have not proved sufficient to contain this large epidemic.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Janne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Laine
authors.forename: Reetta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Huttunen
authors.forename: Risto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vuento
authors.forename: Pertti
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Arvola
authors.forename: Ritva
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Levola
authors.forename: Minna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vuorihuhta
authors.forename: Jaana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Syrjänen
authors.forename: Jaana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vuopio
authors.forename: Jukka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lumio
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000465:Algorithms; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D058872:Epidemics; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*