Diagnostic accuracy of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus nasal colonization to predict methicillin-resistant S aureus soft tissue infections.
Nasal methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) testing at admission to the hospital was found to have a positive likelihood ratio of 8.5 and a negative likelihood ratio of 0.41 for predicting MRSA soft tissue infections. The clinical utility of this test depends on the prevalence of MRSA infection. In high prevalence populations, nasal MRSA is useful to rule in MRSA infections. In low prevalence populations it may be useful to rule out infections.
Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT; Department of Medicine, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT. Electronic address: Craig.Gunderson@va.gov.
Craig G
CG
Gunderson
Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT; Department of Medicine, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT.
Jurgen L
JL
Holleck
Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT; Department of Medicine, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT.
John J
JJ
Chang
Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT; Department of Medicine, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT.
Naseema
N
Merchant
Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT; Department of Medicine, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT.
Shin
S
Lin
Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT; Department of Medicine, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT; Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.
Shaili
S
Gupta
D015331:Cohort Studies; D003237:Connecticut / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008712:Methicillin / Q000494:pharmacology; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000382:microbiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018461:Soft Tissue Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology
D008712:Methicillin
Sensitivity and specificity; methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; nasal cavity/microbiology