title: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization among health care workers in a downtown emergency department in Toronto, Ontario.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) acquired in the community, otherwise known as community-acquired MRSA, has emerged rapidly in recent years. Colonization with MRSA has been associated with an increased risk of symptomatic and serious infections and, in some settings, health care workers (HCWs) exhibit a higher prevalence of MRSA colonization.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine MRSA colonization in emergency department (ED) HCWs in the setting of a moderate prevalence of MRSA in skin and soft tissue infections.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study was conducted at a downtown ED in Toronto, Ontario. ED HCWs completed a brief questionnaire and swabs were taken from one anterior nare, one axilla and any open wounds (if present). Swabs were processed using standard laboratory techniques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  None of the 89 staff (registered nurses [n=55], physicians [n=15], other [n=19]) were MRSA positive and 25 (28.1%) were colonized with methicillin-susceptible S aureus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Contrary to common belief among HCWs and previous studies documenting MRSA colonization of HCWs, MRSA colonization of this particular Canadian ED HCW cohort was very low and similar to that of the local population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario.
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thom
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario.
authors.forename: Yanliang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario.
authors.forename: Piraveina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gnanasuntharam
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario.
authors.forename: Pirasanya
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gnanasuntharam
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario.
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kreiswirth
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Willey
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Loftus
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Varner
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario.
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Porter
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario.
authors.forename: Allison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McGeer
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario.
authors.forename: Bjug
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Borgundvaag
keywords: Emergency department; Health care workers; MRSA colonization