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New faster screening test for MRSA
February 06, 2006A new screening technique for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) cuts by 75% the time taken to identify patients carrying MRSA and could be used to help prevent transmission of the bacteria in hospitals. A study published today in the journal Critical Care shows that a new molecular screening test for MRSA decreases the time between screening and notification of results from four days to one day, compared with standard screening methods. The new method also prevents patients from spending time unnecessarily in isolation wards and reduced transmission rates in one of the two intensive care units (ICUs) studied.
Stephan Harbarth and colleagues from Geneva University Hospitals used qMRSA, a new screening method that identifies MRSA's DNA in patient swabs, to test 1,053 patients on admission to the medical ICU and the surgical ICU in Geneva University Hospital. The study period lasted from January 2003 to August 2005. Harbarth et al. compared the time it took to get the results of qMRSA with historical records of the time taken to get notification of test results using the standard microbiological methods.
Harbarth et al. show that with qMRSA, the median time from ICU admission to notification of test results decreased from 87 hours to 21 hours in the surgical ICU and from 106 hours to 23 hours in the medical ICU. Isolating infected patients immediately after MRSA detection substantially decreased MRSA infections in the medical ICU but not in the surgical ICU. In the surgical ICU, qMRSA spared 245 MRSA-negative patients a total of 1,227 unnecessary days in isolation.
BioMed Central
BioMed Central
MRSA Current Events and MRSA News RSSNew study finds MRSA on the rise in hospital outpatients
The community-associated strain of the deadly superbug MRSA-an infection-causing bacteria resistant to most common antibiotics-poses a far greater health threat than previously known and is making its way into hospitals, according to a study in the December issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases.
U.S. and European Experts Applaud Creation of New Transatlantic Task Force on Global Antibiotic Resistance Threat
Experts on both sides of the Atlantic applaud President Barack Obama and Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, representing the European Union (EU) Presidency, for establishing a transatlantic task force to address antibiotic resistance, an urgent and growing problem that threatens patient safety and public health worldwide.
Henry Ford Hospital study: A MRSA strain linked to high death rates
A strain of MRSA that causes bloodstream infections is five times more lethal than other strains and has shown to have some resistance to the potent antibiotic drug vancomycin used to treat MRSA, according to a Henry Ford Hospital study.
U of T researchers create microchip that can detect type and severity of cancer
U of T researchers have used nanomaterials to develop a microchip sensitive enough to quickly determine the type and severity of a patient's cancer so that the disease can be detected earlier for more effective treatment.
How manuka honey helps fight infection
Manuka honey may kill bacteria by destroying key bacterial proteins. Dr Rowena Jenkins and colleagues from the University of Wales Institute - Cardiff investigated the mechanisms of manuka honey action and found that its anti-bacterial properties were not due solely to the sugars present in the honey.
Mounting a multi-layered attack on fungal infections
Unravelling a microbe's multilayer defence mechanisms could lead to effective new treatments for potentially lethal fungal infections in cancer patients and others whose natural immunity is weakened.
Genes key to staph disease severity, drug resistance found hitchhiking together
Scientists studying Staphylococcus bacteria, including methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), have discovered a potent staph toxin responsible for disease severity.
Researchers map how staph infections alter immune system
Infectious disease specialists at UT Southwestern Medical Center have mapped the gene profiles of children with severe Staphylococcus aureus infections, providing crucial insight into how the human immune system is programmed to respond to this pathogen and opening new doors for improved therapeutic interventions.
Soap-sniffing technology encourages hand washing to reduce hospital-acquired infections, save money
Using sensors capable of detecting drugs in breath, new technology developed at University of Florida monitors health-care workers' hand hygiene by detecting sanitizer or soap fumes given off from their hands.
One in four nursing home residents carries MRSA
MRSA is a major problem in nursing homes with one in four residents carrying the bacteria, a study by Queen's University Belfast and Antrim Area Hospital has found.
More MRSA Current Events and MRSA News Articles
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MRSA and Staphylococcal Infections, Second Edition by M.D., Hernan R. Chang (Author) Despite the large amount of information available through books, Internet sites, and libraries, more and more people with staphylococcal and MRSA infections present to their primary care physicians offices, urgent care centers, and emergency rooms. The disease seems to continue to spread. Most people with a history of MRSA colonization get a reassuring answer when they ask about their contagiousness. The plain truth is that you are potentially contagious. In order to understand the magnitude of this epidemic and to realize how the appearance of MRSA has and will influence our lives and our culture, consider the classic handshake. The handshake will never again be the same after MRSA. The information presented in this book is intended to provide a general understanding of MRSA and... |
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MRSA-Killer Bug. What you need to know to protect yourself. by MD FACP Bertha S. Ayi (Author) This is a concise, authoritative and timely book which explains the recent increase in Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections in the US and around the world. It is a great resource for understanding the symptoms, transmission, treatment and prevention of these infections. Healthcare providers and patients alike will find it extremely useful and informative. |
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MRSA by John A. Weigelt (Editor) Responding to the growing concern about the increased frequency and resistance of MRSA infections, this invaluable source analyzes the latest developments in the identification, assessment, and management of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) by leading authorities on the topic. |
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MRSA - Spider Bites: The Flesh-Eating Bacterial Epidemic That Threatens America by Hernan R. Chang (Author) This is a work of fiction on an important contemporary medical topic. It relates the vicissitudes of three persons suddenly stricken by virulent infections with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). John, Britney and Peter had an initial skin lesion very similar to a 'spider bite.' They realized later that it was not a spider but an aggressive bacterium responsible for causing the lesion. This book gives you the details of their hospitalization and subsequent survival or demise. This book is also a narrative about the potential public health crisis of community-acquired MRSA infections. These infections sometimes evolve to become a 'flesh-eating' illness. Often presenting as 'spider bite' lesions, the current epidemic is occurring in a silent and dangerous manner. Important... |
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MRSA and Staphylococcal Infections by M.D., Hernan R. Chang (Author) We are witnessing a worldwide increase in infections with Staphylococcus aureus, commonly called S. aureus, or simply "Staph." Many of these infections are due to invasive strains of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). People not involved in a healthcare setting are often not aware of this silent epidemic. This lack of awareness includes the significance and danger of "community-acquired" MRSA infections and their potential threat to the healthcare system. The contents of this book are geared to the reader who does not have a medical or healthcare industry background. The information presented is intended to provide a general understanding about Staph infections. In order to curb the worldwide menace of Staph and MRSA infections, a significant behavioral change is needed. A... |
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MRSA GIANT MICROBES by Giant Microbes You won't find this Superbug in the Halls of Justice. |
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Hibiclens Antimicrobial and Antiseptic Skin Cleanser Liquid - 32 oz by REGENT MEDICAL. INDICATIONS: Hibiclens ANtimicrobial and Antiseptic Skin Cleanser Liquid has antiseptic activity and a persistent animicrobial effect with rapid bactericidal activity against a wide range of microorganisms. |
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Superbugs and Superdrugs: A History of MRSA ([Wellcome Witnesses to Twentieth Century Medicine]) by L A REYNOLDS (Editor), E M TANSEY (Editor) Because of its unique adaptability and resistance to many antibacterial drugs and antiseptics, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a nosocomial menace of the present day. It has invaded medical and surgical wards in hospitals, infecting patients already ill or recovering, and endangering clean surgical operations, encouraged by overcrowding and limited air circulation. It has now spread from hospitals to families and communities. Infection control microbiologists and the Public Health Laboratory Service developed assays, 'phage typing and other tests to identify strains, with better understanding of their behaviour aided by the discovery of the mecA gene. This Seminar addressed the biological reasons for this behaviour; the difference between resistant and non-resistant... |
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