Archana Balamohan1, Joanna Beachy2,3, Nina Kohn4, Lorry G Rubin2,3. 1. Cohen Children's Medical Center of New York, Northwell Health, New York, NY, USA. abalamohan@uams.edu. 2. Cohen Children's Medical Center of New York, Northwell Health, New York, NY, USA. 3. Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, USA. 4. Biostatistics Unit, Feinstein Institute of Medical Research, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of active surveillance cultures (ASC) for Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and decolonization on the rate of infection in neonates in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). STUDY DESIGN: Using a quasi-experimental design with control groups, rates of SA infections before and after implementing weekly ASC and topical mupirocin decolonization in a level IV NICU were compared. Comparators were the rates of gram negative bloodstream infections (BSI) and of SA BSI at an affiliated NICU where the intervention was not implemented. RESULT: There was a 77% (p < 0.010) reduction in rate of NICU-wide methicillin-susceptible SA (MSSA) BSI, but no significant change in rate of methicillin-resistant SA BSI, likely due to a prevalent mupirocin-resistant clone. Rates of gram negative BSI and SA BSI at an affiliated NICU did not change significantly. CONCLUSION: Weekly ASC and decolonization were associated with a unit-wide reduction in MSSA infections in a NICU.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of active surveillance cultures (ASC) for Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and decolonization on the rate of infection in neonates in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). STUDY DESIGN: Using a quasi-experimental design with control groups, rates of SAinfections before and after implementing weekly ASC and topical mupirocin decolonization in a level IV NICU were compared. Comparators were the rates of gram negative bloodstream infections (BSI) and of SA BSI at an affiliated NICU where the intervention was not implemented. RESULT: There was a 77% (p < 0.010) reduction in rate of NICU-wide methicillin-susceptible SA (MSSA) BSI, but no significant change in rate of methicillin-resistant SA BSI, likely due to a prevalent mupirocin-resistant clone. Rates of gram negative BSI and SA BSI at an affiliated NICU did not change significantly. CONCLUSION: Weekly ASC and decolonization were associated with a unit-wide reduction in MSSA infections in a NICU.