THE INCIDENCE OF METHICILLIN-RESISTANT ST APHYLOCOCCUS-AUREUS (MRSA) WAS INVESTIGATED IN 95 FRENCH GENERAL HOSPITALS

Following a preliminary survey, standardized identification methods of S. aureus (SA) and methicillin-resistance were used. All together the se 95 hospitals represent 64 268 beds of which 1418 are located in int ensive care units, 41 251 in acute care and the remaining 24 579 in re habilitation and long term care facilities (LTCF). 147 429 patients we re admitted from the 1th to the 28th of February 1995 (incidence perio d), among these 3906 were in intensive care units. No hospital is MRSA free. The average ratio of MRSA is 34,9% (confidence interval 33,2-36 ,5). The global incidence rate of clinical isolates was at 2,08 SA for 100 admissions. The incidence increases up to 3,68 MRSA for 100 admis sions in intensive care units. During the study period a mean of 4,62 SA were isolated per 100 beds, that is an annual incidence of 60,0 SA/ year/100 beds, of which 20,9 are MRSA. According to the type of wards, this annual incidence is 132,0 MRSA for 100 intensive care beds, 20,7 for 100 acute care beds and 12,0 MRSA for 100 LTCF beds. It should be noted that the incidence of MRSA/year/100 beds in LTCF appears simila r to that observed in acute care wards. We conclude that the incidence of MRSA is very high in general hospitals and in most parts of our co untry. With this data each hospital can compare its epidemiological st atus to the regional and national trends. After an appropriate analysi s of its epidemiology each hospital has to determine its own strategy. Future identical studies should allow for evaluation of the efficacy of control programms.