Study: HAIs due to gram-negative bacteria, MRSA up death risk significantly

Anuja Vaidya -

Healthcare-associated infections due to multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus elevate mortality risk among patients, according to a study published in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology.

Researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study of inpatients in the US Department of Veterans Affairs system between Oct. 1, 2007, and Nov. 30, 2010.

The research team compared 218 patients with positive cultures due to MDR Acinetobacter; 1,026 patients with positive cultures due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa; and 3,498 with positive cultures due to MDR Enterobacteriaceae to 14,591 patients without positive cultures due to these organisms.

Additionally, they matched 3,471 patients with positive cultures due to MRSA to 12,499 patients without positive MRSA cultures.

Researchers found multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria was associated with a significantly elevated mortality risk for both invasive and noninvasive cultures during the 30-day period. Patients with MRSA HAIs and colonizations had an increased risk of death at 30 days.

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