Prevalence of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus [MRSA] in intensive care unit of CPEIC, Multan

ABSTRACT

We undertook a study to determine the prevalence of MRSA colonization on admission to our intensive care unit [ICU] and the incidence of MRSA colonization in the ICU. Case series study. This study was conducted in ICUs in Chaudhry Pervaiz Ellahi Institute of Cardiology, Multan from January 2012, to December 2012. We included 1230 patients in which 766 were CABG and remaining 464 were for some congenital heart disesase. All patients were screened within 24 hours after ICU admission. For the intact skin specimen, a single swab was used to sample 4 different sites [the axilla and groin on both sides]. Sternotomywound were sampled also. Pre-moistened swabs were used to collect nasal and skin samples. Swabs were plated on Chapman agar alone. Data were analysed by using spss 11. Descriptive analysis were done along with p value. There were 1230 admissions to the ICU during the study. MRSA was isolated from 80 [6.8%] of 1,185 admission swabs taken, from 42 [7%] of 596 admission swabs where patients had both admission and discharge swabs taken, and from the discharge swabs of 63 [11.4%] of 554 remaining patients who had negative admission swabs. This study confirmed that there is a significant rate of acquisition of MRSA in our ICU. It also raised concerns about trauma patients being at increased risk compared with other patients. We are in the process of conducting a cohort study to assess risk factors for the acquisition of MRSA among trauma patients