Does universal active MRSA surveillance influence anti-MRSA antibiotic use? A retrospective analysis of the treatment of patients admitted with suspicion of infection at Veterans Affairs Medical Centers between 2005 and 2010

摘要

After the implementation of an active surveillance programme for MRSA in US Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Centers, there was an increase in vancomycin use. We investigated whether positive MRSA admission surveillance tests were associated with MRSA-positive clinical admission cultures and whether the availability of surveillance tests influenced prescribers' ability to match initial anti-MRSA antibiotic use with anticipated MRSA results from clinical admission cultures.