The role of healthcare personnel in the maintenance and spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Summary: Healthcare workers may acquire methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from patients, both hospital and home environments, other healthcare workers, family and public acquaintances, and pets. There is a consensus of case reports and series which now strongly support the role for...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2008-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Infection and Public Health |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876034108000282 |
| _version_ | 1818151520036716544 |
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| author | Nevio Cimolai |
| author_facet | Nevio Cimolai |
| author_sort | Nevio Cimolai |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Summary: Healthcare workers may acquire methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from patients, both hospital and home environments, other healthcare workers, family and public acquaintances, and pets. There is a consensus of case reports and series which now strongly support the role for MRSA-carrying healthcare personnel to serve as a reservoir and as a vehicle of spread within healthcare settings. Carriage may occur at a number of body sites and for short, intermediate, and long terms. A number of approaches have been taken to interrupt the linkage of staff–patient spread, but most emphasis has been placed on handwashing and the treatment of staff MRSA carriers. The importance of healthcare workers in transmission has been viewed with varying degrees of interest, and several logistical problems have arisen when healthcare worker screening is brought to the forefront. There is now considerable support for the screening and treatment of healthcare workers, but it is suggested that the intensity of any such approach must consider available resources, the nature of the outbreak, and the strength of epidemiological associations. The task of assessing healthcare personnel carriage in any context should be shaped with due regard to national and international guidelines, should be honed and practiced according to local needs and experience, and must be patient-oriented. Keywords: Staphylococcus aureus, Methicillin-resistant, Infection control, Personnel, Carrier, Infection |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T13:40:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2c160ea98162439bbc4d03cc76ceaa1b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1876-0341 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T13:40:07Z |
| publishDate | 2008-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Infection and Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-2c160ea98162439bbc4d03cc76ceaa1b2022-12-22T01:04:49ZengElsevierJournal of Infection and Public Health1876-03412008-01-011278100The role of healthcare personnel in the maintenance and spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureusNevio Cimolai0Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Centre of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6H 3V4. Tel.: +1 604 271 9321; fax: +1 604 271 9321.; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, CanadaSummary: Healthcare workers may acquire methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from patients, both hospital and home environments, other healthcare workers, family and public acquaintances, and pets. There is a consensus of case reports and series which now strongly support the role for MRSA-carrying healthcare personnel to serve as a reservoir and as a vehicle of spread within healthcare settings. Carriage may occur at a number of body sites and for short, intermediate, and long terms. A number of approaches have been taken to interrupt the linkage of staff–patient spread, but most emphasis has been placed on handwashing and the treatment of staff MRSA carriers. The importance of healthcare workers in transmission has been viewed with varying degrees of interest, and several logistical problems have arisen when healthcare worker screening is brought to the forefront. There is now considerable support for the screening and treatment of healthcare workers, but it is suggested that the intensity of any such approach must consider available resources, the nature of the outbreak, and the strength of epidemiological associations. The task of assessing healthcare personnel carriage in any context should be shaped with due regard to national and international guidelines, should be honed and practiced according to local needs and experience, and must be patient-oriented. Keywords: Staphylococcus aureus, Methicillin-resistant, Infection control, Personnel, Carrier, Infectionhttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876034108000282 |
| spellingShingle | Nevio Cimolai The role of healthcare personnel in the maintenance and spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Journal of Infection and Public Health |
| title | The role of healthcare personnel in the maintenance and spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus |
| title_full | The role of healthcare personnel in the maintenance and spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus |
| title_fullStr | The role of healthcare personnel in the maintenance and spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus |
| title_full_unstemmed | The role of healthcare personnel in the maintenance and spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus |
| title_short | The role of healthcare personnel in the maintenance and spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus |
| title_sort | role of healthcare personnel in the maintenance and spread of methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876034108000282 |
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