The community prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in older people living in their own homes: implications for treatment, screening and surveillance in the UK

Nasal self-swabbing for estimating the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus in the community

“…However, the prevalence rates of MSSA and MRSA identified in this study are broadly similar to other community prevalence surveys (Abudu et al, 2001;Ma et al, 2011). Two studies identified comparable rates in those aged over 65 years (Grundmann et al, 2002;Maudsley et al, 2004), with the latter study additionally sampling the skin and throat. Similar rates were also found in a community-based study of persons aged over 16 years (Abudu et al, 2001).…”

Oral and Topical Antibiotics for Clinically Infected Eczema in Children: A Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial in Ambulatory Care

“…Less than 1% of S. aureus from community samples is methicillin resistant, and the lack of benefit in the flucloxacillin group, despite low levels of resistance to flucloxacillin found in our baseline swabs, suggests that resistance is unlikely to account for the lack of effect observed in this study. 34 Children in all 3 treatment groups experienced substantial improvement in eczema severity over the first week following randomization. Little has been published about the natural history of eczema flares, so our finding that symptomatic improvement occurs over the first week and then levels off provides what is probably the best available evidence about recovery from clinically infected eczema flares that are treated with topical corticosteroids and emollients.…”

Financial Implications of Plans to Combat Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in an Orthopaedic Department

“…Many previous papers on MRSA colonisation and infection have focused on the process of selective surveillance 15,16 in those patients deemed as high risk of either colonisation or infection. Those risk factors have included age, 17 domiciliary status, with infection being higher in institutions, 18 previous antibiotic use, 19 sex, 20 co-morbidities such as diabetes, 21,22 and the presence of catheters, open wounds (sores) and reduced mobility. 23 As a result of these numerous publications and the apparent reproducibility of risk factors, selective screening policies have been advocated and national guidelines produced by a working party; 24 these have been followed by NHS trusts.…”