Impact of results of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus surveillance culture of nasal specimens on subsequent antibiotic prescribing patterns

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2010 Aug;31(8):842-5. doi: 10.1086/655021.

Abstract

We studied the potential impact of results of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) surveillance culture of nasal specimens on physicians' vancomycin-prescribing habits. We compared 116 case patients who had positive results with 116 matched control subjects who had negative results. On multivariate analyses, a positive MRSA carrier status remained strongly predictive of vancomycin use within the subsequent 12 weeks.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / administration & dosage
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Carrier State / drug therapy
  • Carrier State / epidemiology*
  • Carrier State / microbiology
  • Cohort Studies
  • Culture Media
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / classification
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / genetics
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / isolation & purification*
  • Middle Aged
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Nasal Cavity / microbiology*
  • Population Surveillance / methods
  • Practice Patterns, Physicians'*
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Specimen Handling
  • Staphylococcal Infections / drug therapy
  • Staphylococcal Infections / epidemiology
  • Staphylococcal Infections / microbiology
  • Vancomycin / administration & dosage
  • Vancomycin / therapeutic use*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Culture Media
  • Vancomycin