May 27, 2010
The Question
Which patients are most likely to be colonized with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) upon admission to a hospital?
What we found
The patients at the highest risk of infection were those who had been admitted to any hospital within a year of being admitted to another one. Information about past antibiotic usage can be useful in determining which patients are likely to be infected with VRE, and this information would be most effectively collected in a survey administered to patients upon admission.
Why it matters
Because of the severity of the rapidly spread MRSA and VRE infections, the Society of Healthcare Epidemiology of America recommended that patients who are very likely to be infected undergo culturing. Knowing the risk factors for being infected can help hospitals identify patients to test immediately to prevent the spread of MRSA and VRE.
