Expanding the Universe of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Prevention
Authors: Ebbing Lautenbach
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2008)

Editorials18 March 2008Expanding the Universe of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus PreventionEbbing Lautenbach, MD, MPH, MSCEEbbing Lautenbach, MD, MPH, MSCEFrom the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6021.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-148-6-200803180-00009 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most common causes of infection in both the community and the health care setting. First described in 1961 (1), methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) has increased dramatically and now constitutes more than 50% of S. aureus isolates that cause infections in the hospital setting (2–4). Furthermore, MRSA infections are associated with poor clinical and economic outcomes (5).Asymptomatic colonization with MRSA often precedes clinical MRSA infection (6). Patients with MRSA colonization are typically identified only as a result of a positive clinical culture (that is, a culture obtained because of a suspected infection). However, the ...References1. Jevons MP. Celbenin resistant staphylococci. Br Med J. 1961;1:124-5. CrossrefGoogle Scholar2. National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance System. National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (NNIS) System Report, data summary from January 1992 through June 2004, issued October 2004. Am J Infect Control. 2004;32:470-85. [PMID: 15573054] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Klein E, Smith DL, Laxminarayan R. Hospitalizations and deaths caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, United States, 1999-2005. Emerg Infect Dis. 2007;13:1840-6. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. 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[PMID: 17933084] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Ebbing Lautenbach, MD, MPH, MSCEAffiliations: From the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6021.Disclosures: None disclosed.Corresponding Author: Ebbing Lautenbach, MD, MPH, MSCE, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 825 Blockley Hall, 423 Guardian Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6021; e-mail, ebbing@mail.med.upenn.edu. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoUniversal Surveillance for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in 3 Affiliated Hospitals Ari Robicsek , Jennifer L. Beaumont , Suzanne M. Paule , Donna M. Hacek , Richard B. Thomson Jr. , Karen L. Kaul , Peggy King , and Lance R. Peterson Metrics Cited byGuidelines for prevention of hospital acquired infectionsIs There a Relationship Between Hygiene Practices and Skin and Soft Tissue Infections in Diapered Children?Cutaneous Abscesses in ChildrenEfficacy of Infection Control Interventions in Reducing the Spread of Multidrug-Resistant Organisms in the Hospital SettingLimiting the spread of highly resistant hospital-acquired microorganisms via critical care transfers: a simulation studyControlling Antimicrobial Resistance in the HospitalIsolation precautions for antibiotic-resistant bacteria in healthcare settingsHealthcare-associated Infections: Epidemiology, Prevention, and TherapyConsidering the introduction of universal MRSA screening 18 March 2008Volume 148, Issue 6Page: 474-476KeywordsAntimicrobial resistanceBacteremiaEpidemiologyHealth careIntensive care unitsLegislationMethicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureusPopulation statisticsUpper respiratory tract infectionsUrinary tract infections ePublished: 18 March 2008 Issue Published: 18 March 2008 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2008 by American College of Physicians. 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