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Informational/Educational Report
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A 6-year study of MRSA infections in a rural hospital setting Craig Lippitt, MPAS, PAC, Bassett Healthcare, Cooperstown, NY Purpose: MRSA is a growing concern within the medical community.The data for the last 6 years was reviewed at Basset Healthcare, a 180-bed community based rural upstate New York hospital located in Cooperstown,NY Methods: A total of 517 charts were reviewed from the year 2000-2005.A total of 359 charts were found to have adequate data to use within the study parameters. Data recorded included age, sex, culture source, and whether a nosocomial or community-onset etiology Results:During the 6-year period reviewed, there was a four-fold increase of reported incidence of MRSA (2000=39 cases and 2005=160 cases).Average age per year showed 57,65,52,63,53 and 55 years for the time periods.The percentages of "skin" source versus "routine urine/sputum" didn't vary significantly;50,61,59,67,53,and 48%. Finally, in regards to community-onset sources versus nosocomial acquired, data showed 45,29,32,24,54 and 33% respectively Discussion:I was suprised by the tremendous increase in cases in such a short period of time.The data did support the fact, that as the total number of cases increased, so did the number of cases within in each age group.We are seeing younger patients in increasing numbers with MRSA infections.The overall largest risk factor seemed to be time spent at a hospital or "health" facility. The main limitation of this review was missing complete data, as there was no definite "protocol" for both evaluating and documenting MRSA patients by health care providers Conclusion:According to the CDC, MRSA is increasingly a cause of nosocomial and community-onset infection with unknown national scope and magnitude. Our rural hospital shows a signifcant and steady increase in all age groups and total numbers of both nosocomial and community-onset MRSA infections. Kuethnert MJ, et al. Methicillin-resistant-staphylococcus aureus hospitalizations. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Atlanta,GA, 2005;11(6). |
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