Prevalence of MRSA Colonization of Patients and Staff in a Regional Hospital in Cuenca, Ecuador

Abstract

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an antibiotic resistant strain of the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus that is responsible for many hospital-acquired infections world-wide. MRSA commonly colonizes individuals on the mucous membranes of the anterior nares, as well as the skin of the axilla and groin and can be spread between individuals via direct contact. During the summer of 2012, nasal swabs were collected from 494 volunteers in a regional public hospital in Cuenca, Ecuador to determine the prevalence of MRSA colonization within the hospital. These results indicate that MRSA is present within the Ecuadorian hospital examined, and the potential for hospital-acquired infections exists.