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Updated: Jun 28, 2026
12:18
Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
Published on: February 9, 2011
Screening for MRSA: a flawed hospital infection control intervention
Richard P Wenzel1, Gonzalo Bearman, Michael B Edmond
1Department of Internal Medicine, Medical College of Virginia Campus, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA.
Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology
|October 22, 2008
Summary
Focusing infection control on a single resistant pathogen is ineffective. A broader, population-based approach is necessary due to the emergence of diverse antibiotic-resistant organisms.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Single-pathogen focused infection control strategies are becoming increasingly inadequate.
- The emergence of multiple antibiotic-resistant organisms necessitates a reevaluation of infection control paradigms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To argue against a sole focus on single antibiotic-resistant pathogens for infection control.
- To advocate for a population-based approach to hospital infection control.
Main Methods:
- Application of attributable mortality principles.
- Utilizing a basic model of bloodstream infections.
Main Results:
- A singular focus on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was appropriate in the past.
- Current landscape includes vancomycin-resistant enterococci, resistant gram-negative rods, and Candida species.
Conclusions:
- Hospital resources should not be concentrated on a single antibiotic-resistant pathogen.
- A population-based infection control strategy is essential for effectively managing diverse antimicrobial resistance threats.
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