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Infection with Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Among Hospital Employees

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 June 2016

Robert R. Muder ,
Carole Brennen  and
Angella M. Goetz
Robert R. Muder*
Affiliation:
Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Annsylvania
Carole Brennen
Affiliation:
Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Annsylvania
Angella M. Goetz
Affiliation:
Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Annsylvania
*
Infectious Disease Section, VA Medical Center, University Drive C, Pittsburgh, PA 15240
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Abstract

Objective:

To describe the spectrum of clinical infection caused bymethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in healthcare workers.

Design:

Case series.

Setting:

Two Veterans Affairs hospitals in which methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA) is endemic.

Patients:

Five employees presenting to employee health or infectious disease clinic.

Results:

All employees had had direct exposure to patients colonized with MRSA. Employee infections included cellulitis, impetigo, folliculitis, paronychia, and conjunctivitis. MRSA was isolated from all clinically infected sites and from the anterior nares of two employees. Three employees received a variety of ineffective oral antimicrobials before MRSA was recognized as the causative agent. All infections responded to appropriate therapy.

Conclusions:

Employees of hospitals with endemic MRSA may acquire MRSA infection. Presentation in our employees was that of relatively uncomplicated soft tissue infection, but several employees received inappropriate therapy before bacteriologic diagnosis. We recommend that culture and susceptibility testing be obtained prior to institution of therapy when hospital employees present with soft tissue infection.

Type
Brief Report
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 14 , Issue 10 , October 1993 , pp. 576 - 578
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 1993

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