Isolation of MRSA from communal areas in a teaching hospital

Manning, N; Wilson, A.P.R.; Ridgway, G.L.

doi:10.1016/j.jhin.2003.12.021

Cited by 3 publications

(6 citation statements)

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“…Although methicillin susceptible S. aureus and methicillin resistant coagulase negative isolates have been found in public buses in London and Belgrade, respectively, MRSA was not detected in any of the studies [10], [11]. Nevertheless, ambulances [12], patient homes [13], public areas of hospitals [14], and environmental surfaces at emergency medical responders facilities [15] were found to represent possible reservoirs of MRSA.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 81%

High Prevalence of EMRSA-15 in Portuguese Public Buses: A Worrisome Finding

et al. 2011

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BackgroundThe nosocomial prevalence of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Portugal remains one of the highest in Europe and is currently around 50%. Transmission of S. aureus, including MRSA, occurs principally by direct human-to-human skin contact. However, S. aureus can survive for long periods on inanimate objects, which may represent an important reservoir for dissemination as well.Methodology/Principal FindingsBetween May 2009 and February 2010, handrails of 85 public urban buses circulating in Oporto, Portugal, were screened for the occurrence of MRSA. Twenty-two (26%) buses showed MRSA contamination. The molecular characterization of a total of 55 MRSA, by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), staphylococcal cassette chromosome (SCC) mec typing, spa typing, and multilocus sequence typing (MLST), clustered the isolates into three clonal types. However, the overwhelming majority (n = 50; 91%) of the isolates belonged to a single clone (PFGE A, spa types t747, t032, t025 or t020, ST22, SCCmec type IVh) that exhibits the characteristics of the pandemic EMRSA-15, currently the major lineage circulating in Portuguese hospitals, namely in the Oporto region. Two additional clones were found but in much lower numbers: (i) PFGE B, ST5, spa type t002, SCCmec IVa (n = 3), and (ii) PFGE C, spa type t008, ST8, SCCmec IVa (n = 2). None of the 55 isolates was PVL positive.Conclusions/SignificancePublic buses in Oporto seem to be an important reservoir of MRSA of nosocomial origin, providing evidence that the major hospital-associated MRSA clone in Portugal is escaping from the primary ecological niche of hospitals to the community environment. Infection control measures are urgently warranted to limit the spread of EMRSA-15 to the general population and future studies are required to assess the eventual increase of MRSA in the Portuguese community, which so far remains low.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 81%

High Prevalence of EMRSA-15 in Portuguese Public Buses: A Worrisome Finding

et al. 2011

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“…Several studies have examined MRSA contamination outside of the clinical setting, for example in patient homes (Allen et al. 1997), public areas of hospitals (Manning et al. 2004; Kearns et al.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Several other investigators have failed to identify MRSA in public areas of hospitals (Manning et al. 2004) or in public transport vehicles (Stepanovic et al.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…In recent years, community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) has emerged worldwide raising the potential for MRSA contamination outside of the hospital (Miller and Diep 2008). Several studies have examined MRSA contamination outside of the clinical setting, for example in patient homes (Allen et al 1997), public areas of hospitals (Manning et al 2004;Kearns et al 2005), emergency medical vehicles (Roline et al 2007) and public transport vehicles (Stepanovic et al 2008). Stepanovic et al recently reported a high frequency of methicillin-resistant, coagulase-negative staphylococci but no MRSA contaminating hand-touch sites on public transport vehicles in Serbia (Stepanovic et al 2008).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Bacterial contamination on touch surfaces in the public transport system and in public areas of a hospital in London

Otter

French

2009

Letters in Applied Microbiology

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Aims: To investigate bacterial contamination on hand‐touch surfaces in the public transport system and in public areas of a hospital in central London. Methods and Results: Dipslides were used to sample 118 hand‐touch surfaces in buses, trains, stations, hotels and public areas of a hospital in central London. Total aerobic counts were determined, and Staphylococcus aureus isolates were identified and characterized. Bacteria were cultured from 112 (95%) of sites at a median concentration of 12 CFU cm−2. Methicillin‐susceptible Staph. aureus (MSSA) was cultured from nine (8%) of sites; no sites grew methicillin‐resistant Staph. aureus (MRSA). Conclusions: Hand‐touch sites in London are frequently contaminated with bacteria and can harbour MSSA, but none of the sites tested were contaminated with MRSA. Significance and Impact of the Study: Hand‐touch sites can become contaminated with staphylococci and may be fomites for the transmission of bacteria between humans. Such sites could provide a reservoir for community‐associated MRSA (CA‐MRSA) in high prevalence areas but were not present in London, a geographical area with a low incidence of CA‐MRSA.

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“…1 In countries, or in individual hospitals, where the prevalence of MRSA is still low, one of the cornerstones of MRSA control is active surveillance of new cases and strict isolation of suspected and detected MRSA-positive patients. 2 An unexpected new MRSA carrier may have tens of contacts in different hospitals, nursing homes and elsewhere in health care. When an active 'search-and-destroy' policy is carried out, the number of surveillance cultures can be considerable in low-prevalence situations, since all these contacts have to be tested to exclude transmission and colonization.…”

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confidence: 99%