Association between ward-specific antimicrobial use density and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcu aureus

Junichi Yoshida1, Tetsuya Kikuchi, Nobuo Matsubara

  • 1Infection Control Committee, Shimonoseki City Hospital, Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, Japan.

Insights

Ward-specific antimicrobial use density (AUD) is linked to increased methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) inpatient ratios. Broad-spectrum antibiotic use, particularly meropenem and imipenem-cilastatin, correlates with higher MRSA rates, highlighting the need for ward-level surveillance.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Clinical Microbiology
  • Hospital Epidemiology

Background:

  • Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) poses a significant healthcare challenge.
  • The relationship between ward-specific antimicrobial use density (AUD) and inpatient MRSA ratios is not well-established.
  • Understanding factors influencing MRSA prevalence is crucial for infection control.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between ward-specific AUD and the ratio of inpatient MRSA to S. aureus.
  • To identify other factors, including study intervals, specimen types, and ward specialty, associated with inpatient MRSA ratios.
  • To inform strategies for controlling MRSA transmission in hospital settings.

Main Methods:

  • A 60-month observational study was conducted.
  • Inpatient MRSA to S. aureus ratios were calculated monthly per ward.
  • Multivariate analysis was used to assess associations between MRSA ratios and AUD, ward specialty, specimen type, and time intervals.

Main Results:

  • Over 5 years, 52.6% of S. aureus isolates were MRSA.
  • Increased inpatient MRSA ratios were associated with higher AUDs of meropenem, imipenem-cilastatin, ampicillin-sulbactam, and minocycline.
  • Respiratory care wards and higher outpatient MRSA ratios were also linked to increased inpatient MRSA.

Conclusions:

  • The use of broad-spectrum antimicrobials may contribute to a higher inpatient MRSA ratio.
  • Ward specialty is a significant factor influencing MRSA prevalence.
  • Incorporating ward-level data into MRSA surveillance is recommended to account for patient backgrounds and antimicrobial use patterns.

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