Your browser version may not work well with NCBI's Web applications. More information here...
1: Emerg Infect Dis. 2005 Apr;11(4):554-61.Click here to read Links
Comment in:
Emerg Infect Dis. 2005 Nov;11(11):1798-9.

Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia, Australia.

Collignon P, Nimmo GR, Gottlieb T, Gosbell IB; Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance.

The Canberra Hospital, Garran, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. peter.collignon@act.gov.au

Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB) is common and increasing worldwide. A retrospective review was undertaken to quantify the number of cases, their place of acquisition, and the proportions caused by methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) in 17 hospitals in Australia. Of 3,192 episodes, 1,571 (49%) were community onset. MRSA caused 40% of hospital-onset episodes and 12% of community-onset episodes. The median rate of SAB was 1.48/1,000 admissions (range 0.61-3.24; median rate for hospital-onset SAB was 0.7/1,000 and for community onset 0.8/1,000 admissions). Using these rates, we estimate that approximately 6,900 episodes of SAB occur annually in Australia (35/100,000 population). SAB is common, and a substantial proportion of cases may be preventable. The epidemiology is evolving, with >10% of community-onset SAB now caused by MRSA. This is an emerging infectious disease concern and is likely to impact on empiric antimicrobial drug prescribing in suspected cases of SAB.

PMID: 15829193 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]