Faculty Collaboration Database

Clinical impact of MRSA in a stem cell transplant unit: analysis before, during and after an MRSA outbreak. Bone Marrow Transplant 2007 May;39(10):623-9

Date

03/27/2007

Pubmed ID

17384657

DOI

10.1038/sj.bmt.1705654

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-34248168812 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   26 Citations

Abstract

Meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major nosocomial pathogen, with an increased incidence in the UK since 1993, causing serious morbidity and mortality in immunosuppressed patients. We analysed the frequency and outcome of MRSA infection in a single-centre transplant population over a 5-year period. The total number of patients infected was 41/776 (5%). The frequency in autologous, sibling and unrelated donor transplants was 3, 6 and 9%, respectively. Prior to 2004, the incidence was <4%/year; however, an outbreak in the day unit resulted in 22 patients becoming newly infected. Over 90% of infections were clinically relevant, half (49%) being bacteraemia. Three patterns were seen: known MRSA positive at any time before transplant (n=15), MRSA first detected during the neutropenia phase (n=5) and MRSA only post discharge (n=21). MRSA was implicated in a number of deaths, at all time points, in those infected. An intensive eradication policy resulted in new infections dropping to <2%. In conclusion, MRSA is likely to remain endemic in our unit, but robust early screening protocols and aggressive eradication strategies have effectively limited the spread of and morbidity due to this pathogen.

Author List

Shaw BE, Boswell T, Byrne JL, Yates C, Russell NH

Author

Bronwen E. Shaw MBChB, PhD Center Director, Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adult
Aged
Bacteremia
Disease Outbreaks
Female
Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
Humans
Male
Methicillin Resistance
Middle Aged
Retrospective Studies
Staphylococcal Infections
Staphylococcus aureus
Transplantation, Autologous
Transplantation, Homologous
United Kingdom