New strategies to identify patients harbouring antibiotic-resistant bacteria at hospital admission.

Nosocomial infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria are associated with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Most prevention strategies focus on cross-transmission, but the endemic state inside the hospital is also maintained through the influx of patients colonised or infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria, balanced by the efflux of colonised patients following discharge. Epidemiological research has demonstrated that eradication can be achieved by preventing the influx of resistant bacteria. The presence of a central venous catheter and a history of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection or colonisation are associated significantly with methicillin-resistant staphylococcal bacteraemia at admission. Previous antibiotic therapy and transfer from long-term care facilities or nursing homes are associated with bacteraemia caused by methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci, while skin ulcer and cellulites are independent risk-factors for MRSA bacteraemia. A scoring system using point values has been developed and validated to identify patients positive for vancomycin-resistant enterococci at admission. Six variables were identified: age > 60 years (2 points); hospitalisation in the previous year (3); use of two or more antibiotics during the previous 30 days (3); transfer from another hospital or long-term care facility (3); a requirement for chronic haemodialysis (2); and a previous history of MRSA infection (4). With a point score cut-off of > or = 10, the specificity of this prediction rule is 98%. Knowledge of variables identifying patients at high risk for being colonised or infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria may assist clinicians in targeting preventive measures and streamlining the use of vancomycin. Current studies are analysing risk-factors for harbouring multiresistant Gram-negative bacteria at hospital admission.