Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 19, 2026

Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
12:18

Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)

Published on: February 9, 2011

Risk factors for colonization with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a long-term-care facility in

Petra Vovko1, Matjaz Retelj, Tjasa Zohar Cretnik

  • 1Microbiology Department, Public Health Institute Novo mesto, Novo mesto, Slovenia. petra.vovko@zzv-nm.si

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology
|March 11, 2005
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Antibiotic treatments and recent hospital admissions are key risk factors for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization in Slovenian elderly care facilities. These findings highlight the need for targeted infection control strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Epidemiology
  • Geriatric Medicine

Background:

  • Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a significant pathogen in healthcare settings.
  • Long-term-care facilities (LTCFs) are vulnerable environments for MRSA transmission among the elderly population.
  • Understanding specific risk factors for MRSA colonization in Slovenian LTCFs is crucial for effective infection control.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify and evaluate risk factors associated with MRSA colonization in an elderly LTCF in Slovenia.
  • To provide data for the development of targeted infection control programs in Slovenian LTCFs.

Main Methods:

  • A case-control study was conducted in a 351-bed LTCF for the elderly.
  • MRSA carriage was assessed in 102 residents using nasal and skin swabs.
  • Data on potential risk factors including antibiotic use and hospital admissions were collected.

Main Results:

  • MRSA colonization was detected in 12 participants.
  • Multivariate analysis identified recent antibiotic treatment (within 1 month) as a significant risk factor (OR, 5.087; P = .048).
  • Multiple hospital admissions (within 3 months) were also significantly associated with MRSA colonization (OR, 6.277; P = .022).

Conclusions:

  • This study provides the first assessment of MRSA colonization risk factors in a Slovenian LTCF.
  • Antibiotic use and recent hospitalizations are significant predictors of MRSA colonization in this setting.
  • Findings support the implementation of active surveillance cultures and enhanced infection control measures in Slovenian LTCFs to mitigate MRSA spread.

Related Concept Videos

Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance01:25

Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) presents a critical public health threat, arising from its capacity to resist β-lactam antibiotics due to acquisition of the mecA gene within the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). This gene encodes penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a), which impairs binding efficacy of methicillin and other β-lactams. MRSA has evolved into distinct clonal lineages impacting humans and animals alike, reinforcing its significance within the One...
Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection01:26

Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection

The hosts' susceptibility to infection depends on several factors. The integrity of the skin and mucous membranes helps protect the body against microbial attacks. When the skin is altered, the chance of infection, limb loss, and even death increases.
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin create...
Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA01:25

Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA

Antibiotic resistance in bacteria arises when microorganisms evolve the ability to withstand drugs designed to kill them or inhibit their growth, rendering once-effective treatments useless. This phenomenon, driven by genetic change and selection under antibiotic exposure, poses a profound threat to modern medicine. Mechanisms include drug-inactivating enzymes (e.g., β-lactamases), efflux pumps that eject antibiotics, mutations altering antibiotic targets, decreased drug uptake, and acquisition...
Staphylococcal Skin Infections01:29

Staphylococcal Skin Infections

Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive coccus that resides harmlessly on the skin and mucous membranes of healthy individuals. When the skin barrier is breached, it can shift from a commensal to an opportunistic pathogen. This transition is facilitated by surface adhesins, such as clumping factor B and S. aureus surface protein G (SasG), which bind to structural proteins, including loricrin and cytokeratin, in the damaged epidermis. Protein A, another key factor, binds the Fc region of...
Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures01:22

Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures

Essential infection prevention measures are based on the knowledge of the infection chain, the modes of transmission in healthcare settings, and the use of the best practices in all healthcare settings. Compulsory public reporting of healthcare-associated infection rates is needed to allow individuals and the community to make informed choices regarding selecting a healthcare facility.
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
Development of Human Microbiota01:30

Development of Human Microbiota

The human microbiota begins developing at birth and undergoes continual change as we age. Infancy marks a critical period of microbial sensitivity, offering a “window of opportunity” during which beneficial microbes help mature the immune system. By age three, children typically develop a more stable and diverse microbial community. Newborns acquire microbes from their immediate environment; vaginal delivery favors maternal vaginal microbes, while cesarean births favor microbes from the skin...