Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates from surfaces and personnel at a hospital laundry facility

Examine a clinical laundry facility for the presence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) on environmental surfaces and among personnel.

Nasal and face samples along with surface samples were collected four times in 2015. MRSA isolates were confirmed using standardized biochemical assays and molecular characterization.

MRSA was identified in 33/120 (28%) samples from the dirty and 3/120 (3%) samples from the clean environmental areas. MRSA isolates included: (dirty) ST5 SCCmec type II, ST8 SCCmec type IV, ST231 SCCmec type II, ST239 SCCmec type III, ST239 SCCmec type IV, ST256 SCCmec type IV and (clean) ST5 SCCmec type II and ST8 SCCmec type IV. Five different employees were MRSA positive, 4/8 (50%) from the dirty: and 1/15 (6·7%) from the clean, but there was a 10-fold higher MRSA carriage 6/22 (27%) dirty vs 1/38 (2·6%) clean when all 50 human samples were combined.

MRSA prevalence was significantly higher (28 vs 3%) in dirty vs clean areas within the laundry facility suggesting a greater risk for personnel on the dirty side.

This is the first report of isolation and characterization of MRSA from surfaces and personnel from a clinical laundry facility.