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General Orthopaedics: M. Nixon, B. Jackson, P. Varghese, D. Jenkins, and G. Taylor Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus on orthopaedic wards: INCIDENCE, SPREAD, MORTALITY, COST AND CONTROL J Bone Joint Surg Br 2006; 88-B: 812-817 [Abstract] [Full text] [PDF]

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Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus on orthopaedic wards

Rohit Rambani   (12 January 2007)

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus on orthopaedic wards 12 January 2007
Rohit Rambani, Research Registrar University of Hull and Hull Royal Infirmary Send letter to journal: Re: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus on orthopaedic wards R.Rambani{at}hull.ac.uk Rohit Rambani	Sir, I read this article with interest. I compliment the authors on a well designed study, however, there are a few queries. In the study, there were 325 patients (23%) who missed screening. The authors have not discussed the factors which led to the missed screening nor any measures taken to prevent this from happening. In a similar prospective study done at Kings College Hospital NHS Trust (October 2005 to September 2006), we screened 3102 admissions: 1635 elective and 1467 emergency admissions. MRSA was found in 33 (2.0%) of the elective group and in 153 (10.4%) of the emergency group. An extremely high percentage of MRSA positive colonisation was noticed among trauma admissions. The significant difference in MRSA colonisation in the two categories showed the need to segregate elective and trauma admissions, and screen all patients being admitted in orthopaedic wards. The authors did not highlight how to include patients for whom the screening was missed. This might be an important factor in controlling MRSA colonisation. R. Rambani, Research Registrar, University of Hull and Hull Royal Infirmary, Hull, UK.