Open AccessIncrease in Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Acquisition Rate and Change in Pathogen Pattern Associated with an Outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
Author(s) -
Florence Yap,
Charles D. Gomersall,
Kitty S. C. Fung,
PakLeung Ho,
Oi-Man Ho,
Phillip K. N. Lam,
Doris Lam,
Donald J. Lyon,
Gavin M. Joynt
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
clinical infectious diseases
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.44
H-Index - 336
eISSN - 1537-6591
pISSN - 1058-4838
DOI - 10.1086/422641
Subject(s) - medicine , outbreak , stenotrophomonas maltophilia , staphylococcus aureus , ventilator associated pneumonia , intensive care unit , carriage , methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus , pneumonia , antibiotics , isolation (microbiology) , pseudomonas aeruginosa , emergency medicine , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , virology , pathology , bacteria , genetics
An outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) occurred in our 22-bed intensive care unit (ICU; Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong, HKSAR, China) from 12 March to 31 May 2003, when only patients with SARS were admitted. This period was characterized by the upgrading of infection control precautions, which included the wearing of gloves and gowns all the time, an extensive use of steroids, and a change in antibiotic prescribing practices. The pattern of endemic pathogenic organisms, the rates of acquisition of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and the rates of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) were compared with those of the pre-SARS and post-SARS periods.
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