[Severe infection in gastroenterological field; MRSA (methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus) enterocolitis]

There has been a rising trend in the number of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections in recent years, and postoperative MRSA enterocolitis has been on the increase. We conducted a nation wide questionnaire on postoperative enterocolitis from January 1988 to June 1990. Among the 169 institutes which replied, there were 126 cases of postoperative MRSA enterocolitis in 53 institutes. Most of the cases based on malignant disease, especially gastric cancer. Their onset began with diarrhea and fever, between the second and fifth postoperative days. 18 patients died, giving a mortality rate of 14.3%. Examination of the recent antibiotic susceptibility demonstrated that MRSA had rapidly acquired multiple drug resistance. It is important that every effort be made to protect against hospital infection.