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| Investigator: |
Phone: (404) 686-1564
Email: jtjacob@emory.edu
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| Primary Research Interest: |
Internal Medicine |
| Description of Research: |
This proposal entails a retrospective chart review of patients with S. aureus bacteremia occurring within 48 hours of admission (community-onset). We are interested in assessing risk factors for methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) bacteremia in this context, hypothesizing that exposure to healthcare is associated with MRSA compared to methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA). We anticipate reviewing the electronic medical records of ~150 patients in one VA. |
| Relevance to VA: |
Since, as the population-based data indicate, 58% of all invasive MRSA infections are healthcare-associated but occur outside of the hospital, most episodes of healthcare associated MRSA bacteremia remain unmeasured by healthcare facilities and are therefore are not linked to any specific hospital-based prevention activities. The relationship between community-onset healthcare-associated infections and recent inpatient stay needs to be further investigated, since this may help inform future surveillance and prevention strategies. For example, preventing acquisition of new colonization during inpatient stays may reduce the risk of post-discharge infections. It is also possible that interventions designed to eradicate or suppress MRSA colonization near or at the time of patient discharge might have an impact on post-discharge infection rates. |
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