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Updated: Jan 18, 2026
Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus MRSA
Published on: February 9, 2011
Quantitative Results of a National Intervention to Prevent Hospital-Onset Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
David P Calfee1, Shannon Davila2, Vineet Chopra3
1Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York (D.P.C.).
Background:
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) remains one of the most common causes of health care-associated infection (HAI).
Objective:
To evaluate the effect of education and a tiered, evidence-based infection prevention strategy on rates of hospital-onset MRSA bloodstream infection (BSI).
Design:
Prospective, national, nonrandomized, interventional, 12-month, multiple cohort, pre-post observational quality improvement project.
Setting:
Acute care, long-term acute care, and critical access hospitals with a disproportionate burden of HAI.
Patients:
All patients admitted to participating facilities during the project period.
Intervention:
A multimodal infection prevention intervention consisting of recommendations and tools for prioritizing and implementing evidence-based infection prevention strategies, on-demand educational videos, Internet-based live educational presentations, and access to content experts.
Measurements:
Rates of hospital-onset MRSA BSI, overall and stratified by hospital type, during 12-month baseline and postintervention periods. Variation in outcomes across hospital types was examined.
Results:
Between November 2016 and May 2018, 387 hospitals in 23 states and the District of Columbia participated, 353 (91%) submitted MRSA data, and 172 (49%) indicated that MRSA prevention was a priority. Unadjusted overall rates of hospital-onset MRSA BSI were 0.075 (95% CI, 0.065 to 0.085) and 0.071 (CI, 0.063 to 0.080) per 1000 patient-days in the baseline and postintervention periods, respectively.
Limitations:
The intervention period was short. Participation and adherence to recommended interventions were not fully assessed. Baseline rates of hospital-onset MRSA BSI were relatively low. Prevention of MRSA was a priority in a minority of participating hospitals. Patient characteristics and other MRSA risk factors were not assessed.
Conclusion:
In hospitals with a disproportionate burden of HAIs, access to tools to assist with implementation of evidence-based prevention strategies and education resources alone may not be sufficient to prevent MRSA BSI.
Primary Funding Source:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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