title: Screening cultures for detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a population at high risk for MRSA colonisation: identification of optimal combinations of anatomical sites.
abstract: This retrospective study analysed the diagnostic yield of single-site, two-site, and three-site anatomical surveillance cultures in a population of 4,769 patients at high risk for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonisation. Cultures of seven anatomical sites were used as the gold standard against which to measure the sensitivity of MRSA detection. Detection rates for the seven single-sites, 21 two-site, and 35 three-site combinations are presented. Single-site swabbing only detected 50.5% (nose) of total cases, while three-site surveillance achieved a 92% (groin + nose + throat) sensitivity of detection at best. It is recommended that at least three anatomical sites should be screened for MRSA colonisation in these high-risk patients.
authors.affiliation: Infection Prevention and Control Department, Singleton Hospital, Abertawe Bro-Morgannwg University Hospital Board, Swansea, UK; kbouri2@hotmail.com; khalid.el-bouri@wales.nhs.uk.
authors.forename: Khalid
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: El-Bouri
authors.forename: Wahbi
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: El-Bouri
mesh_terms: D001365:Axilla / Q000382:microbiology; D002353:Carrier State / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006119:Groin / Q000382:microbiology; D006761:Hospitals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D009666:Nose / Q000382:microbiology; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010502:Perineum / Q000382:microbiology; D010614:Pharynx / Q000382:microbiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D014472:Umbilicus / Q000382:microbiology; D014852:Wales / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: MRSA screening; infection control; optimal sensitivity