THE EFFECT OF INCREASED BED NUMBERS ON MRSA TRANSMISSION IN ACUTE MEDICAL WARDS

An 18-month prospective survey was performed to examine the effect of adding a fifth bed to four-bedded bays in three acute medical wards on colonization by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). S creening procedures were in accordance with the UK national guidelines . All patients newly colonized with MRSA were visited, and their bed l ocation determined. Data from the five-bedded bays were compared with those from four-bedded bays in similar wards. Potential routes of tran smission were investigated by observational surveys. The relative risk of colonization in five-bedded medium dependency bays was 3.15 compar ed with that of similar four-bedded bays (P<0.005), and in the five-be dded low dependency bays was 3.16 (P<0.005). Increasing the number of beds in a fixed area heightens the risk of cross-infection with MRSA.