MRSA in Croatia: prevalence and management

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Clinical Microbiology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a significant cause of hospital-acquired and community-acquired infections, leading to increased morbidity and mortality.
• While prevalent in the US for skin and soft tissue infections, MRSA's community burden is lower in Europe, though livestock-associated MRSA (LA-MRSA) poses risks to farm-connected individuals.
• MRSA has been endemic in Croatia for over 45 years, with notable fluctuations in its impact on healthcare-associated infections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the trends and prevalence of MRSA in healthcare settings in Croatia over a defined period.
• To understand the epidemiological shifts of MRSA in Croatia, particularly concerning invasive infections.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of MRSA prevalence data from primarily sterile clinical samples in Croatia.
• Monitoring of MRSA infection rates from 2001 to 2012.

Main Results:

• MRSA prevalence in sterile samples in Croatia increased significantly from 31% in 2001 to 37% in 2002.
• High MRSA prevalence persisted until 2008, after which a downward trend was observed.
• The lowest recorded MRSA percentage in sterile samples was 22% in 2012.

Conclusions:

• The prevalence of MRSA in Croatian healthcare settings has shown dynamic changes, with a peak in the early 2000s followed by a gradual decrease.
• These findings highlight the importance of ongoing surveillance and infection control strategies to manage MRSA in healthcare environments.
• The observed trend suggests potential success of interventions or shifts in epidemiological patterns impacting MRSA in Croatia.