Infection control strategies for preventing the transmission of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in nursing homes for older people

Decolonization of Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus infections are associated with increased morbidity, mortality, hospital stay, and health care costs. S aureus colonization has been shown to increase risk for invasive and noninvasive infections. Decolonization of S aureus has been evaluated in multiple patient settings as a possible strategy to decrease the risk of S aureus transmission and infection. In this article, we review the recent literature on S aureus decolonization in surgical patients, patients with recurrent skin and soft tissue infections, critically ill patients, hospitalized non-critically ill patients, dialysis patients, and nursing home residents to inform clinical practice.

Nurses' knowledge, behaviour and compliance concerning hand hygiene in nursing homes: a cross-sectional mixed-methods study

Background

Effective hand hygiene is one of the most important measures for protecting nursing home residents from nosocomial infections. Infections with multi-resistant bacteria’s, associated with healthcare, is a known problem. The nursing home setting differs from other healthcare environments in individual and organisational factors such as knowledge, behaviour, and attitude to improve hand hygiene and it is therefore difficult to research the influential factors to improve hand hygiene. Studies have shown that increasing knowledge, behaviour and attitudes could enhance hand hygiene compliance in nursing homes. Therefore, it may be important to examine individual and organisational factors that foster improvement of these factors in hand hygiene. We aim to explore these influences of individual and organisational factors of hand hygiene in nursing home staff, with a particular focus on the function of role modelling by nursing managers.

Methods

We conducted a mixed-methods study surveying 165 nurses and interviewing 27 nursing managers from nursing homes in Germany.

Results

Most nurses and nursing managers held the knowledge of effective hand hygiene procedures. Hygiene standards and equipment were all generally available but compliance to standards also depended upon availability in the immediate work area and role modelling. Despite a general awareness of the impact of leadership on staff behaviour, not all nursing managers fully appreciated the impact of their own consistent role modelling regarding hand hygiene behaviours.

Conclusion

These results suggest that improving hand hygiene should focus on strategies that facilitate the provision of hand disinfectant materials in the immediate work area of nurses. In addition, nursing managers should be made aware of the impact of their role model function and they should implement this in daily practice.

Nasal colonization with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus among elderly living in nursing homes in Brazil: risk factors and molecular epidemiology

BACKGROUND

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus poses a threat to elderly living in nursing homes. Studies focusing on the epidemiology of colonization may help in the design of infection control strategies.

OBJECTIVE

To identify factors associated with MRSA colonization and the dissemination of clones among nursing home residents.

METHODS

Nasal swabs were collected from 300 persons from nine nursing homes in the city of Bauru, Brazil. Resistance to methicillin was identified through amplification of the mecA gene. Strain typing (Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis) and characterization of the Staphylococcal Chromosome Cassette (SCC) mec was performed. Univariate and multivariable models were used to identify predictors of overall S. aureus and MRSA carriage.

RESULTS

Rates of S. aureus and MRSA colonization were 17.7 and 3.7%, respectively. Age and recent admission to a hospital were independently associated with colonization with S. aureus. MRSA colonization was associated with living in small (< 15 residents) and medium-sized (15-49 residents) facilities, as well as with recent hospitalization. Most MRSA strains carried SCCmec types II or IV, and there was evidence of clonal spread within and among different facilities.

CONCLUSIONS

MRSA may be introduced in nursing homes form hospitals or arise from the community setting. Screening for asymptomatic colonization may identify persons with greater risk for infection, and is advised for residents discharged from acute care hospitals.

Reduction in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonisation: impact of a screening and decolonisation programme

Patients in care homes are often at 'high risk' of being methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonised. Here we report the prevalence of MRSA, the effect of MRSA screening and decolonisation in Wolverhampton care-home residents. Eighty-two care homes (1665 residents) were screened for MRSA, three times at 6-monthly intervals (referred to as phases one, two and three). Screening and decolonisation of MRSA-colonised residents led to a reduction in the prevalence of MRSA from 8.7% in phase one, 6.3% in phase 2 and 4.7% in phase three. Overall, the study suggests that care-home facilities in Wolverhampton are a significant reservoir for MRSA; screening and decolonisation has reduced the risk to residents going for procedures and has indirectly impacted on MRSA rates in the acute Trust.

Protective effect of methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus carriage against methicillin-resistant S. aureus acquisition in nursing homes: a prospective cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate whether an ecologic inverse association exists between methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) prevalence and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) prevalence in nursing homes.

METHODS

We conducted a secondary analysis of a prospective cross-sectional study of S. aureus prevalence in 26 nursing homes across Orange County, California, from 2008-2011. Admission prevalence was assessed using bilateral nares swabs collected from all new residents within 3 days of admission until 100 swabs were obtained. Point prevalence was assessed from a representative sample of 100 residents. Swab samples were plated on 5% sheep blood agar and Spectra MRSA chromogenic agar. If MRSA was detected, no further tests were performed. If MRSA was not detected, blood agar was evaluated for MSSA growth. We evaluated the association between MRSA and MSSA admission and point prevalence using correlation and linear regression testing.

RESULTS

We collected 3,806 total swabs. MRSA and MSSA admission prevalence were not correlated (r = -0.40, P = .09). However, MRSA and MSSA point prevalence were negatively correlated regardless of whether MSSA prevalence was measured among all residents sampled (r = -0.67, P = .0002) or among those who did not harbor MRSA (r = -0.41, P = .04). This effect persisted in regression models adjusted for the percentage of residents with diabetes (β = -0.73, P = .04), skin lesions (β = -1.17, P = .002), or invasive devices (β = -1.4, P = .0006).

CONCLUSIONS

The inverse association between MRSA and MSSA point prevalence and minimal association on admission prevalence suggest MSSA carriage may protect against MRSA acquisition in nursing homes. The minimal association on admission prevalence further suggests competition may occur during nursing home stays.