Epidemiology and susceptibilities of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Northeastern Ohio

A retrospective survey was performed on all staphylococcal infections diagnosed by the Ashtabula County Medical Center (Ashtabula, OH) during 2006 and 2007. Of the 1,612 Staphylococcus aureus isolates evaluated for their antibiotic resistances, 947 were methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA). In 2007, MRSA infections reached 589 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, a 77% increase compared with 2006. The increase in MRSA infections was noticeable among youth (6-25 years old), middle-aged people (45-50 years old), and elderly people (86-90 years old). MRSA infections increased among inpatients by 58%, among outpatients by 43%, and among nursing home residents by 183%. More than 66% of MRSA infections were found among healthy people in the community with no apparent risk factors. More than 88.7% of the infections belong to only 9 profiles of antibiotic resistance indiscriminately distributed among inpatients, outpatients, and nursing home residents. This report sheds further light on the rapid spread of MRSA across Northeastern Ohio, stressing the need for better education in preventive measures and infection control at the level of community and health care settings.