An intensive program of surveillance, precautions, training, and feedback appears to have helped reduce the rate of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) over a 15-year period, according to a report in the March 22 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.
The study comes from the Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, which administers 38 teaching hospitals in Paris and surrounding suburbs. Dr. Vincent Jarlier, Ph.D., of Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière in Paris is the lead author (Arch Intern Med, Vol. 170:6, pp. 552-559).
The program, based on guidelines published by national agencies, focused on isolating patients with MRSA in single-bed rooms, promoting hand hygiene and the use of alcohol-based hand rub, active surveillance of high-risk patients, quick notification of MRSA cases, and feedback on the results.
Between 1993 and 2007, the rate of MRSA decreased approximately 35%, both as the proportion of MRSA among all strains (a decrease from 41% to 27%) and as the incidence of MRSA cases (from 0.86 to 0.56 per 1,000 days in the hospital). The rate decreased more significantly in intensive care units (a 59% decline) than in surgical (44%) or medical (32%) wards.
In addition, the use of alcohol-based hand rub increased steadily from 2 L to 21 L per 1,000 hospital days following the campaign.
The results show that "a sustained reduction of MRSA burden can be obtained at the scale of a large hospital institution with high endemic MRSA rates, providing that an intensive program is maintained for a long period," the authors wrote.
Related Reading
October named MRSA Awareness Month, August 25, 2009
Study finds bacterial contamination on portable x-ray units, August 13, 2009
Virus outbreaks put scrutiny on infection control practices, August 10, 2009
Survey: MRI centers lack infection control, May 28, 2009
11 steps for preventing MRSA infections in MRI, November 6, 2008
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![Examples of ultrasound findings and techniques. (A) Images in a 39-year-old male patient with a mass in the left thigh. The mass is heterogeneous on the B-mode US image (compared with the patient in D) and showed increased microvascularity (superb microvascular imaging [SMI]) and shear-wave elastography (SWE) values. Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma was diagnosed at biopsy (with pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma in surgical specimen). (B) Images in an 18-year-old male patient with a mass in the left leg. The mass is hypoechoic on the B-mode image, with no other findings suggestive of malignancy. The lesion is in contact with the cortex of the tibia, which is slightly irregular. CT revealed a doubtful anteromedial tibial erosion. The microvascular study demonstrated high vascularization, suggestive of malignancy. Periosteal Ewing sarcoma was diagnosed with both histologic and immunohistochemical confirmation. (C) Images in a 69-year-old female patient with a lump growing on the outside of the left leg. Multiple SWE examinations were performed (please note the high values obtained in the measurements, whereas the color map highlights the stiffness relative to adjacent tissues). SMI showed areas of increased vascularization to target for sampling. Undifferentiated spindle cell sarcoma was diagnosed at biopsy, with residual leiomyosarcoma in the surgical specimen after neoadjuvant therapy. (D) Images in a 56-year-old female patient with a mass in the right thigh. The mass is heterogeneous at both B-mode ultrasound (similar to patient A) and MRI (coronal T2-weighted spectral attenuated inversion recovery [SPAIR]; T1-weighted pre-contrast and postcontrast imaging), which even shows uptake after the administration of paramagnetic contrast material, which is traditionally suggestive of malignancy. Low values at SMI and elastography are suggestive of benignity. Spindle cell lipoma was diagnosed at biopsy, with atypical spindle cell lipomatous tumor in the surgical specimen.](https://img.auntminnieeurope.com/mindful/smg/workspaces/default/uploads/2026/08/images-radiol250278fig2.APCFLSvX6p.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&dpr=2&fit=crop&h=167&q=70&w=250)
