Control and Outcome of a Large Outbreak of Colonization and Infection with Glycopeptide-Intermediate Staphylococcus aureus in an Intensive Care Unit

• Published in: Clinical infectious diseases Vol. 42; no. 2; pp. 170 - 178
• Main Authors: de Lassence, Arnaud, Hidri, Nadia, Timsit, Jean-François, Joly-Guillou, Marie-Laure, Thiery, Guillaume, Boyer, Alexandre, Lable, Pascale, Blivet, Annie, Kalinowski, Helene, Martin, Yolaine, Lajonchere, Jean-Patrick, Dreyfuss, Didier
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States The University of Chicago Press 15-01-2006; University of Chicago Press; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Articles and Commentaries; Bacteria; Carrier State; Cleaning; Critical care; Cross Infection; Disease control; Disease Outbreaks; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Glycopeptides; Glycopeptides - pharmacology; Hand Disinfection - methods; Health Personnel; Hospital admissions; Hospitalization; Housekeeping, Hospital; Humans; Infection Control - methods; Infections; Intensive Care Units; Medical personnel; Methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus; Microbial colonization; Microbiology; Nurses; Patients; Staphylococcal Infections - epidemiology; Staphylococcal Infections - microbiology; Staphylococcus aureus; Staphylococcus aureus - drug effects; Time Factors
• ISSN: 1058-4838; 1537-6591
• DOI: 10.1086/498898

Background. Glycopeptide-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (GISA) is emerging as a cause of nosocomial infection and outbreaks of infection and colonization in intensive care units (ICUs). We describe an outbreak of GISA colonization/infection and the ensuing control measures in an ICU and investigate outcomes of the affected patients. Methods. We describe an outbreak of GISA colonization and infection that affected 21 patients in a medical ICU at a tertiary care teaching hospital, as well as the measures taken to eradicate the GISA strain. Result. Recognition of the outbreak was difficult. Infections, all of which were severe, were diagnosed in 11 of 21 patients. Patient isolation and barrier precautions failed when used alone. Addition of a stringent policy of restricted admissions, twice daily environmental cleaning, and implementation of hand decontamination with a hydroalcoholic solution led to outbreak termination. This was associated with increases in workload, despite a marked decrease in the number of admissions. Conclusion. This first description of a large outbreak of GISA colonization and infection underlines the importance of routine GISA-strain detection when methicillin-resistant S. aureus is isolated. Outbreak control may be difficult to achieve.