An MRSA screening policy for a small New South Wales hospital

Abstract

Most nosocomial infections are caused by opportunistic bacteria, which are part of the normal microbiota of the human body. Particularly troublesome to the compromised host are the antibiotic-resistant strains of Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) in particular has been the subject of many policies and protocols devised to control its spread in hospitals and nursing homes. "High morbidity and mortality [are] associated with hospital acquired MRSA in the compromised host. The major route of spread within institutions is thought to be via the hands of staff, usually associated with inadequate handwashing."