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HA-MRSA infection rate declined in VA long-term care facilities
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Since the implementation of the Veterans Affairs MRSA Prevention Initiative in long-term care facilities in January 2009, the overall rate of health care-associated MRSA infections decreased by 36%, according to study findings in the American Journal of Infection Control.
According to the report, the initiative was implemented in all VA acute care facilities in 2007. The bundle consists of nasal MRSA surveillance on all hospital admissions, in-hospital transfers and discharges; contact precautions for patients with MRSA; hand hygiene; and increased responsibility for health care workers for infection prevention and control. The program was expanded to its 33 long-term care facilities in 2009.
VA researchers evaluated the prevalence of MRSA at admission from July 2009 to December 2012 and the incidence of MRSA infection during the same time frame using data from the VA Inpatient Evaluation Center national database. During this time, there were approximately 12.9 million resident-days at VA long-term care facilities nationwide.
The mean quarterly MRSA prevalence at admission increased from 23.3% to 28.7%. However, the overall HA-MRSA infection rate decreased by 36%, from 0.25 per 1,000 resident-days to 0.16 per 1,000 resident-days. Most infections included skin and soft tissue infections (45%) and urinary tract infections (25%). Rates of lower respiratory tract infections and non–catheter-associated UTIs decreased significantly.
“Our experience suggests that adherence to a simple bundle of infection prevention and control strategies may be of value in controlling MRSA [health care–associated infections] in [long-term care facilities], especially if the program is implemented widely throughout the network of health care venues in which an individual may seek care,” the researchers wrote.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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