[Characteristics of patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection]

To determine the epidemiological characteristics of infection by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and changes in its prevalence in a tertiary hospital in the autonomous community of Madrid.

Between 2005 and 2007, we carried out a descriptive study of all patients with MRSA-positive cultures from the total number of admissions to the Fundación Alcorcón University Hospital.

Of 251 MRSA-positive cultures, the infection was community-acquired in 138 patients (55%) while 112 patients (44.6%) were from nursing homes. The mean age of the patients was 76 years, with men representing 56.2% (141) of the sample. The median length of hospital stay was 17 days. Positive cultures were isolated from sputum in 21.9% (55), from blood cultures in 19.5% (49), from other locations in 19.9% (50) and from pressure ulcers, surgical wounds or urine in 55.8% of the patients (140). The latter could be classified as healthcare-related infections. The total infection rate was 5.540 per hundred.

More than half of infected patients with MRSA infection were colonized. The most frequent locations were pressure ulcers and surgical wounds and consequently the risk of spread can be related to healthcare. In infected patients, the length of hospital stay was 4-5 times longer than average. The rate of hospital-acquired infection tended to decrease, while that of community-acquired infection increased during the study period. Hygiene measures should be implemented, quality of care should be improved, and health resources should be optimized.