An Outbreak of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infection

Abstract

Between Jan 3 and Feb 21,1969, a single strain of coagulase-positive, methicillin-resistant, type 84 Staphylococcus was isolated from six hospitalized patients. Two patients died of staphylococcal pneumonia, one recovered from aspiration pneumonia, another developed a wound infection, and two became asymptomatic carriers. Extensive culturing of samples of nasal secretions from hospital personnel did not reveal a source of infection; however, the suspected index case was traced to local nursing homes where two additional cases were detected. Spread of staphylococci among patients appeared to have occurred primarily by way of temporary hand carriage by personnel, and the organisms exhibited limited capacity for colonization of patients not receiving antimicrobial agents.