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. 2003 Jun;24(6):422-6.
doi: 10.1086/502225.

Spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) among household contacts of individuals with nosocomially acquired MRSA

David P Calfee  1 , Lisa J Durbin, Teresa P Germanson, Denise M Toney, Elise B Smith, Barry M Farr
Affiliations

Spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) among household contacts of individuals with nosocomially acquired MRSA

David P Calfee et al. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2003 Jun.

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency with which methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is spread from colonized or infected patients to their household and community contacts.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: University hospital.

Participants: Household and community contacts of MRSA-colonized or -infected patients for whom MRSA screening cultures were performed.

Results: MRSA was isolated from 25 (14.5%) of 172 individuals. Among the contacts of index patients who had at least one MRSA-colonized contact, those with close contact to the index patient were 7.5 times more likely to be colonized (53% vs 7%; 95% confidence interval, 1.1 to 50.3; P = .002). An analysis of antimicrobial susceptibility and DNA fingerprint patterns suggested person-to-person spread.

Conclusions: MRSA colonization occurs frequently among household and community contacts of patients with nosocomially acquired MRSA, suggesting that transmission of nosocomially acquired MRSA outside of the healthcare setting may be a substantial source of MRSA colonization and infection in the community.

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