Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute Publishes Report for Surveillance for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus: Principles, Practices, and Challenges

WAYNE, PA--(Marketwire - March 04, 2010) -

Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) recently published “Surveillance for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus: Principles, Practices, and Challenges"; A Report (X07-R). This document was developed to provide infection preventionists (infection control practitioners), infectious disease specialists, and microbiologists with the latest information regarding the development and implementation of a successful methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) surveillance program.

MRSA infections continue to be significant causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide in both health care and community settings. One strategy to reduce the transmission, particularly of MRSA, in health care settings is to conduct active surveillance of patients admitted to hospitals or other health care facilities for colonization using culture- or molecule-based identification methods.

Cassandra Salgado, MD, MS, Hospital Epidemiologist, Medical Director of Infection Control, Medical University of South Carolina, co-chairholder of the committee that developed the document, says, “The release of the CLSI document is timely as many health care facilities are currently assessing their individual needs for MRSA surveillance, and as many legislative bodies consider mandatory efforts imposed to curb the spread of MRSA in these facilities. This document will benefit laboratory and infection control personnel by providing detailed discussion of multiple aspects of a successful MRSA surveillance program, including the rationale and the operational components. The intent of the document was to provide a practical framework for use by individual facilities to develop such programs based on risk, personnel capabilities, and resources.”

Topics covered in X07-R include

-- The characteristics of MRSA isolates -- Both culture-based and molecular methods for detecting MRSA isolates in clinical samples, surveillance cultures, and environmental reservoirs -- Strain typing methods -- Epidemiological issues surrounding the spread of MRSA isolates in health care and other settings; interventions to halt transmission of MRSA -- MRSA issues associated with animals -- Public health aspects of MRSA transmission 

CLSI is a volunteer-driven, membership-supported, nonprofit organization dedicated to developing standards and guidelines for the health care and medical testing community through a consensus process that balances the perspectives of industry, government, and the health care professions. For additional information on CLSI, visit the CLSI website at www.clsi.org or call 610.688.0100.

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Technorati: MRSA Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection control MRSA surveillance X07-R