Hospital transmission of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus among postpartum women

Clin Infect Dis. 2003 Nov 15;37(10):1313-9. doi: 10.1086/379022. Epub 2003 Oct 17.

Abstract

Infections caused by community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) are being increasingly observed in patients who lack traditional risk factors. We described 8 postpartum women who developed skin and soft-tissue infections caused by MRSA at a mean time of 23 days (range, 4-73 days) after delivery. Infections included 4 cases of mastitis (3 of which progressed to breast abscess), a postoperative wound infection, cellulitis, and pustulosis. The outbreak strains were compared with the prototype CA-MRSA strain MW2 and found to be indistinguishable by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. All were spa type 131, all contained the staphylococcal chromosomal cassette mec type IV, and all expressed Panton-Valentine leukocidin and staphylococcal enterotoxins C and H. The route of transmission was not discovered: the results of surveillance cultures of samples obtained from employees of the hospital, the hospital environment, and newborns were negative for the outbreak strain. We report that MW2, which was previously limited to the midwestern United States, has spread to the northeastern United States and has become a health care-associated pathogen.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Community-Acquired Infections / epidemiology
  • Community-Acquired Infections / microbiology
  • Community-Acquired Infections / transmission*
  • Cross Infection / epidemiology
  • Cross Infection / microbiology
  • Cross Infection / transmission*
  • Disease Outbreaks
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Methicillin Resistance / physiology*
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Postpartum Period*
  • Risk Factors
  • Staphylococcal Infections / epidemiology
  • Staphylococcal Infections / microbiology
  • Staphylococcal Infections / transmission*
  • Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects*
  • Virulence Factors / analysis

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Virulence Factors