Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia, Australia

• Main Authors: Peter Collignon, Graeme R. Nimmo, Thomas Gottlieb, Iain B. Gosbell
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2005-04-01
• Series: Emerging Infectious Diseases
• Subjects: Staphylococcus aureus; bacteremia; hospital infections; methicillin resistance; mortality; fatal outcome
• Online Access: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/11/4/04-0772_article

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 ≈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.