A prospective study of the case-notes of MRSA-positive patients: a vehicle of MRSA spread

Abstract

Introduction: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has received much publicity and remains a major problem for the health service. The aim of this study was to determine whether case-notes of MRSA-positive patients can act as a vehicle for MRSA transmission.

Patients and methods: A prospective study was performed of patients with active MRSA infection identified from a microbiology department database. Two swabs were taken from the cover of the case-notes and the page with the most recent entry for identification of MRSA using MRSA ID (Chromogenic agar medium), Pastorex and DNase tests. Positive case-notes were re-swabbed 96 h later.

Results: A total of 50 MRSA-positive patients were identified from medical, surgical, high dependency and intensive care wards. Three sets of notes were MRSA positive (3/50; 6%). None of the positive case-notes was positive on re-swabbing at 96 h.

Conclusions: Case-notes of MRSA-positive patients can act as carriers of MRSA with the potential to spread MRSA to both healthcare and non-healthcare workers without direct contact with infected patients. We recommend extending the universal precautions to the handling of case-notes belonging to MRSA-infected patients.