Epidemic outbreaks control involving Staphylococcus aureus with reduced sensitivity to glycopeptides

This study describes two epidemic outbreaks involving Staphylococcus aureus with reduced sensitivity to glycopeptides, one in 2000 involving eight patients and the other in 2001-2002 involving 16 patients. These strains were detected rapidly, thanks to routine screening for the offending organisms in the bacteriology laboratory of our hospital. The clonal character of these strains was confirmed by pulsed field electrophoresis. The management of these epidemic outbreaks confirmed (i) the need for systematic adoption of standard precautions, (ii) the importance of circulating information in combating multi-resistant bacteria, as well as the difficulties in transferring colonised patients to different hospital wards, and (iii) the intermittent nature of S. aureus carriage, resulting in a need for prolonged surveillance of colonised and/or infected patients. In addition, our study underlines the value of a multi-disciplinary approach to the management of diffusion of multi-resistant bacteria.