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Livestock-associated MRSA prevalence high among HCWs in the Netherlands
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The rate of livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was high among health care workers in the Netherlands and spread via community and/or hospital transmission, according to data presented at the International Conference on Prevention and Infection Control in Geneva.
Miranda van Rijen, MSc, of Amphia Hospital in Breda, Netherlands, and colleagues set out to identify the determinants of MRSA carriage and infection among health care workers (HCWs) across 17 hospitals in the Netherlands between January 2009 and December 2010.
MRSA was determined based on history and molecular typing results; HCWs were classified into risk groups consistent with the national infection prevention guidelines, according to the study abstract.
Sixty-eight HCWs were MRSA-positive during the study period. Nearly half (41.2%) could not be classified in a known risk group; 27.9% of MRSA cases were caused by nosocomial transmission; 19.1% of cases were exposed to pigs/veal calves; 10.3% worked in a foreign hospital; and 1.5% were colonized due to transmission in a psychiatric home.
Spa-typing indicated livestock-associated MRSA (ST398) in 100% of the HCWs exposed to pigs/veal calves. This was followed by 16.7% of HCWs who worked in a foreign hospital; and 15.8% of HCWs colonized due to nosocomial transmission. Livestock-associated MRSA was found in 18.9% of HCWs who did not report contact with livestock.
For more information:
- van Rijen M. #P12. Presented at: The International Conference on Prevention and Infection Control; June 29-July 2, 2011; Geneva.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
It should be noted that carriage of Staphylococcus aureus is noted in approximately one-third of normal people - both in the hospital and in the community. If you accept that, then note there are about 500 people in the community for every one person hospitalized. If you accept that, then you come up with a ratio of 500 people with staphylococci for every one in the hospital. To what extent health care workers are more numerous than hospitalized patients is unclear but it is clear that the overwhelming number of people colononized with staph are not hospitalized, and are not health care workers, but comprise more than 99% of those carrying staph, whether it is methicillin susceptible or resistant. So what should we do about the 99% rather than the 1% of health care workers?
–Alan Tice, MD
Infectious Diseases News Editorial Board member
Disclosure: Dr. Tice reports no relevant financial disclosures.
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