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Outbreak of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ST398 in a Dutch nursing home

Erwin Verkade1, Thijs Bosch, Yvonne Hendriks

  • 1Laboratory for Microbiology and Infection Control, Amphia Hospital, Breda, The Netherlands. erwinverkade@gmail.com

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology
|May 8, 2012
PubMed

Insights

A methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) ST398 outbreak occurred in a Dutch nursing home. This study confirms MRSA ST398 can spread within long-term care facilities.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Epidemiology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Nursing homes are vulnerable settings for infectious disease outbreaks.
  • Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) ST398 is a significant healthcare-associated pathogen.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To document and analyze an outbreak of MRSA ST398 in a nursing home.
  • To investigate the transmission dynamics of MRSA ST398 in a long-term care facility.

Main Methods:

  • Case identification of MRSA ST398 among residents and healthcare workers.
  • Epidemiological investigation of the outbreak in a Dutch nursing home setting.

Main Results:

  • Seven nursing home residents were identified with MRSA ST398.
  • Four healthcare workers were identified with MRSA ST398, with two carrying other strains.

Conclusions:

  • MRSA ST398 can successfully spread within nursing home environments.
  • The findings highlight the need for enhanced infection control measures in long-term care facilities to prevent MRSA ST398 transmission.

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