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[A study of methicillin -- resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in a burn unit with repetitive -- DNA -- sequence
1Department of Hospital Infection Control, Xiang Ya Hospital, Hunan Medical University, Changsha 410008 Hu Nan Province, China.
Objective:
To investigate the distribution and spread of MRSA in a burn ward, so as to explore the measures of the prevention, surveillance and control of hospital infection in a burn ward.
Methods:
Five hundred and four specimens were isolated from the wounds and nasal vestibules of burn patients, the hands and nasal vestibules of medical staffs and lay attendants and the surfaces of various equipments. From these specimens, 58 strains of MRSA and 43 methicillin -- sensitive staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) were isolated. The genome DNA of isolated MRSA strains was analyzed by repetitive DNA -- sequence -- based PCR analysis.
Results:
MRSA strains were isolated from the burn wounds in 22 of 41 (53.7%) patients, and 5 from the nasal vestibules. Moreover, among 19 medical staffs, MRSA strains were isolated from the hands of 9 persons, but not from the nasal vestibules. From the hands in 9 of 43 lay attendants and the nasal vestibules in 2 MRSA strains were found. Thirteen MRSA strains were isolated from 193 specimens from the surrounding items. It was indicated by repetitive DNA -- sequence -- based PCR analysis of the genome DNA of isolated MRSA strains that there existed homologous strains around the patients' wounds, in the burn wounds, on the skin of medical staffs and lay attendants and also surrounding equipments.
Conclusion:
(1) There was wide spread presence of MRSA homologous strains in the burn ward. (2) It was indicated by repetitive DNA -- sequence -- based PCR analysis of the genome DNA of isolated MRSA strains that there was cross infection among burn patients. The source of the infection of MRSA in burn ward was burn patients, and the route of the infection was hands of medical staffs and lay attendants. (3) MRSA is wide -- spread. The contamination of the hands and the environment was potential risk factor of MRSA outbreak in the burn unit.