Feedback to clinicians on preventable factors can reduce hospital onset Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia rates

Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia (SAB) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, yet there are limited data on preventable factors. This study aimed to evaluate SAB episodes at a tertiary care hospital; to identify factors that, if avoided, might have prevented the episode of SAB; and to provide feedback to treating clinicians. Of 187 episodes of SAB over 19 months 59.9% were caused by meticillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) and 40.1% meticillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), 65.8% of SAB were healthcare-associated (HA) and 34.2% were community-acquired. Seven- and 30-day mortality rates, overall, were 11.2% and 20.9% respectively. At least one preventable factor was identified in 50.4% of HA-SAB episodes, including recent nosocomial MRSA acquisition in 53.7% MRSAB episodes and one or more factors associated with intravenous access in at least 24.3% of HA (35.7% of hospital onset) cases. SAB was more likely to be associated with at least one identifiable, preventable factor in surgical than in medical inpatients (86.2% vs 54.5%, P=0.004). Patients with HA-MRSAB were more likely than those with HA-MSSAB to require intensive care unit admission (44.4% vs 18.8%, P=0.003). Identifying and addressing preventable factors will better target resources for prevention of SAB. Feedback about preventable factors was associated with a reduction in HA-SAB rates from 0.29 to 0.20 per 1000 occupied bed-days, from 2008 to 2009.