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Staphylococcus aureus Colonization Among Healthcare Workers at a Tertiary Care Hospital

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Cecilia P. Johnston ,
Amy K. Stokes ,
Tracy Ross ,
Mian Cai ,
Karen C. Carroll ,
Sara E. Cosgrove  and
Trish M. Perl
Cecilia P. Johnston*
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
Amy K. Stokes
Affiliation:
Department of Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
Tracy Ross
Affiliation:
Division of Medical Microbiology, Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
Mian Cai
Affiliation:
Division of Medical Microbiology, Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
Karen C. Carroll
Affiliation:
Division of Medical Microbiology, Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
Sara E. Cosgrove
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland Department of Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
Trish M. Perl
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland Department of Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
*
Mercy Medical Center, 301 St. Paul Place, Department of Medicine Office, Room 300, Tower Building, Baltimore, MD 21202 ([email protected])
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Abstract

We describe the epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus colonization among 200 healthcare workers. The prevalence of S. aureus was 28%, and the prevalence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) was 2%. The incidence of MRSA colonization was extremely low. This study suggests that the risk of MRSA transmission to healthcare workers is low in a hospital where MRSA is endemic.

Type
Concise Communications
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 28 , Issue 12 , December 2007 , pp. 1404 - 1407
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2007

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