Hospital-acquired infections in a burns unit caused by an imported strain of Staphylococcus aureus with unusual multi-resistance.

During the past year five patients from countries in the Middle East admitted to a burns unit were found to harbour a strain of Staphylococcus aureus with unusual multi-resistance to antibiotics. The admission of the first patient was followed by an outbreak of infection with this strain involving ten patients in the unit. In addition five staff members were found to be nasal carriers of the strain. As a result of this incident, the following four patients admitted to the unit were isolated on admission and the spread of their strans was thus prevented. It is recommended that patients on admission to burns units, or similar departments with patients very susceptible to infection, are isolated until their bacterial floras have been examined.