Staphylococcus Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Staphylococcus, including details on mrsa, hospitals, infection, antibiotic resistance, superbugs.

Risk factors for isolation of low-level mupirocin-resistant versus -susceptible methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from patients in intensive care units.

Park DW, Kim MJ, Yang JA, Jeong HW, Sohn JW, Chun BC

Department of Internal Medicine, The Institute of Emerging Infectious Diseases, College of Medicine, Korea University, 126-1 Anam-Dong 5th Street, Sungbuk-gu, Seoul 136-705, Republic of Korea.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors for the recovery of low-level mupirocin-resistant (mup(r)) or -susceptible (mup(s)) MRSA from patients in intensive care units (ICUs). METHODS: A case-case-control study was conducted from November 2003 to April 2004. Two case groups consisted of patients with low-level mup(r) MRSA and mup(s) MRSA. A control group was frequency matched. RESULTS: Mup(r) MRSA and mup(s) MRSA were isolated from 20 to 51 patients, respectively, during a six-month period. Risk factors identified for mup(r) MRSA were as follows: exposure to piperacillin-tazobactam (odds ratio [OR] 13.8; 95% confidence intervals [CI], 1.8-105.0), third-generation cephalosporins (OR, 5.0; 95% CI, 1.6-15.5) and quinolones (OR, 3.4; 95% CI, 1.1-10.7). Risk factors identified for mup(s) MRSA were as follows: length of ICU stay (OR, 1.1; 95% CI, 1.0-1.1), surgery (OR, 3.7; 95% CI, 1.5-9.0), exposure to third-generation cephalosporins (OR, 8.4; 95% CI, 3.3-21.7) and quinolones (OR, 7.7; 95% CI, 2.8-21.3). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that nosocomial isolation of low-level mup(r) MRSA may be affected by piperacillin-tazobactam.

Published 19 March 2007 in J Infect, 54(4): 337-42.
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