Journal
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
Volume 7, Issue -, Pages -Publisher
FRONTIERS MEDIA SA
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01273
Keywords
MRSA; decolonization; MRSA risk factors; personnel; staff; EurSafety health-net
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Funding
- Interreg IVa, Dutch-German cross-border network - European Commission [III-1-02 = 73, III-2-03 = 025]
- German Federal State of Nordrhein-Westfalen
- German Federal State of Niedersachsen
- Dutch province of Overijssel
- Dutch province of Gelderland
- Dutch province of Limburg
- German Ministry of Education and Research (MedVet-Staph) [01KI1014A]
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Preventing the spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in healthcare facilities is a major infection control target. However, only a few studies have assessed the potential role of healthcare workers (HCWs) for MRSA dissemination. To investigate the MRSA prevalence and the risk factors for MRSA colonization among HCWs, nasopharyngeal swabs were taken between June 2010 and January 2011 from 726 employees from nine acute care hospitals with different care levels within the German part of a Dutch-German border region (EUREGIO). The isolated MRSA strains were investigated using spa typing. The overall MRSA prevalence among HCWs in a non-outbreak situation was 4.6% (33 of 726), and was higher in nurses (5.6%, 29 of 514) than in physicians (1.2%, 1 of 83). Possible risk factors associated with MRSA colonization were a known history of MRSA carriage and the presence of acne. Intensive contact with patients may facilitate MRSA transmission between patients and HCWs. Furthermore, an accumulation of risk factors was accompanied by an increased MRSA prevalence in HCW.
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