Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 15, 2026
Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
Published on: February 9, 2011
Excess costs and utilization associated with methicillin resistance for patients with Staphylococcus aureus infection
Gregory A Filice1, John A Nyman, Catherine Lexau
1Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. filic001@umn.edu
Objective:
To determine differences in healthcare costs between cases of methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) infection and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) infection in adults.
Design:
Retrospective study of all cases of S. aureus infection.
Setting:
Department of Veterans Affairs hospital and associated clinics.
Patients:
There were 390 patients with MSSA infections and 335 patients with MRSA infections.
Methods:
We used medical records, accounting systems, and interviews to identify services rendered and costs for Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center patients with S. aureus infection with onset during the period from January 1, 2004, through June 30, 2006. We used regression analysis to adjust for patient characteristics.
Results:
Median 6-month unadjusted costs for patients infected with MRSA were $34,657, compared with $15,923 for patients infected with MSSA. Patients with MRSA infection had more comorbidities than patients with MSSA infection (mean Charlson index 4.3 vs 3.2; P < .001). For patients with Charlson indices of 3 or less, mean adjusted 6-month costs derived from multivariate analysis were $51,252 (95% CI, $46,041-$56,464) for MRSA infection and $30,158 (95% CI, $27,092-$33,225) for MSSA infection. For patients with Charlson indices of 4 or more, mean adjusted costs were $84,436 (95% CI, $79,843-$89,029) for MRSA infection and $59,245 (95% CI, $56,016-$62,473) for MSSA infection. Patients with MRSA infection were also more likely to die than were patients with MSSA infection (23.6% vs 11.5%; P < .001). MRSA infection was more likely to involve the lungs, bloodstream, and urinary tract, while MSSA infection was more likely to involve bones or joints; eyes, ears, nose, or throat; surgical sites; and skin or soft tissue (P < .001).
Conclusions:
Resistance to methicillin in S. aureus was independently associated with increased costs. Effective antimicrobial stewardship and infection prevention programs are needed to prevent these costly infections.
Insights
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections are significantly more costly than methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) infections. This highlights the need for robust infection control and antimicrobial stewardship programs to manage these expensive healthcare burdens.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Health Economics
- Clinical Microbiology
Background:
- Staphylococcus aureus is a common pathogen causing a range of infections.
- Distinguishing between methicillin-susceptible (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant (MRSA) strains is critical due to differing treatment options and outcomes.
- Understanding the economic impact of MRSA versus MSSA is essential for healthcare resource allocation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the healthcare costs associated with methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) infections versus methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections in adult patients.
- To identify factors contributing to cost differences between MSSA and MRSA infections.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective study was conducted at a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital and associated clinics.
- Medical records, accounting systems, and interviews were used to collect data on services rendered and costs for 390 MSSA and 335 MRSA patients from January 2004 to June 2006.
- Regression analysis was employed to adjust for patient characteristics and comorbidities.
Main Results:
- Median 6-month unadjusted costs for MRSA infections were $34,657, compared to $15,923 for MSSA infections.
- MRSA patients had more comorbidities (mean Charlson index 4.3 vs 3.2).
- Adjusted 6-month costs were substantially higher for MRSA patients across different comorbidity levels ($51,252 vs $30,158 for low comorbidity; $84,436 vs $59,245 for high comorbidity).
- MRSA infection was associated with a higher mortality rate (23.6% vs 11.5%) and more frequent involvement of lungs, bloodstream, and urinary tract.
Conclusions:
- Methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus is independently associated with significantly increased healthcare costs.
- Effective antimicrobial stewardship and infection prevention strategies are crucial to mitigate the economic burden of MRSA infections.
- These findings underscore the importance of continued efforts to combat MRSA.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance
01:25Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA
01:29Staphylococcal Skin Infections
01:26Healthcare Associated Infections I: Iatrogenic, Exogenic and Endogenic
HAIs significantly increase the cost of health care. Extended stays in healthcare institutions, increased disability, increased costs of medications, including specialized antibiotics, and prolonged recovery times add to the patient's expenses and the healthcare institution and funding bodies. Common...
01:36Mismatch Repair
01:27Combined Effects of Drugs: Synergism
Such synergistic combinations...