Prevalence and predictors of MRSA carriage among employees in a non-outbreak setting: a cross-sectional study in an acute care hospital

TY - JOUR

T1 - Prevalence and predictors of MRSA carriage among employees in a non-outbreak setting: a cross-sectional study in an acute care hospital

AU - Schubert, Melanie

AU - Kämpf, Daniel

AU - Jatzwauk, Lutz

AU - Kynast, Franziska

AU - Stein, Annette

AU - Strasser, Ruth

AU - Dulon, Madeleine

AU - Nienhaus, Albert

AU - Seidler, Andreas

PY - 2019/4

Y1 - 2019/4

N2 - Background: Health care workers have an increased risk of being infected with Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), though little information is available about how prevalent (dormant) MRSA colonization is among health care workers. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and predictors of MRSA carriage in a non-outbreak setting in a university hospital in Germany.Methods: The entire staff of a university hospital heart center for cardiologic maximum medical care and cardiac surgery were invited to participate in a cross-sectional study (N = 575). The sampled population included health care workers as well as employees with no close patient contact.A questionnaire concerning personal and occupational risk factors as well as lifestyle and demographic factors was applied and nasal swabs were taken. In total 180 persons (31.3%) participated in the study.Results: The majority of study participants had close contact to patients at work (n = 149, 82.8%). Thereof, about one-third had contact to MRSA-patients (n = 53, 35.6%), and most reported wearing protective clothing (n = 44, 83.0%). None of the administrative staff tested positive for MRSA and only one in 149 persons (0.7%, CI 0.00-0.02) with close patient contact carried MRSA (strain CC1-MRSA-IV). This person had close contact to patients with MRSA, less than 1 year of work experience, and had been treated with antibiotics within the last 12 months.Conclusion: The results of our study suggest low point prevalence rates of MRSA colonization in health care workers in a non-outbreak setting.

AB - Background: Health care workers have an increased risk of being infected with Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), though little information is available about how prevalent (dormant) MRSA colonization is among health care workers. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and predictors of MRSA carriage in a non-outbreak setting in a university hospital in Germany.Methods: The entire staff of a university hospital heart center for cardiologic maximum medical care and cardiac surgery were invited to participate in a cross-sectional study (N = 575). The sampled population included health care workers as well as employees with no close patient contact.A questionnaire concerning personal and occupational risk factors as well as lifestyle and demographic factors was applied and nasal swabs were taken. In total 180 persons (31.3%) participated in the study.Results: The majority of study participants had close contact to patients at work (n = 149, 82.8%). Thereof, about one-third had contact to MRSA-patients (n = 53, 35.6%), and most reported wearing protective clothing (n = 44, 83.0%). None of the administrative staff tested positive for MRSA and only one in 149 persons (0.7%, CI 0.00-0.02) with close patient contact carried MRSA (strain CC1-MRSA-IV). This person had close contact to patients with MRSA, less than 1 year of work experience, and had been treated with antibiotics within the last 12 months.Conclusion: The results of our study suggest low point prevalence rates of MRSA colonization in health care workers in a non-outbreak setting.

KW - Journal Article

U2 - 10.1186/s12995-019-0226-0

DO - 10.1186/s12995-019-0226-0

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 30923557

VL - 14

SP - 7

JO - J OCCUP MED TOXICOL

JF - J OCCUP MED TOXICOL

SN - 1745-6673

ER -