@article{2280,
  keywords = {Health care-associated transmission, Infection control, MRSA},
  author = {Martin E. Evans and Stephen M. Kralovic and Loretta A. Simbartl and Rajiv Jain and Gary A. Roselle},
  title = {Eight years of decreased methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus health care-associated infections associated with a Veterans Affairs prevention initiative.},
  abstract = {<p><b>BACKGROUND: </b>Declines in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) health care associated infections (HAIs) were previously reported in Veterans Affairs acute care (2012), spinal cord injury (SCIU) (2011), and long-term-care facilities (LTCFs) (2012). Here we report continuing declines in infection rates in these settings through September 2015.</p><p><b>METHODS: </b>Monthly data entered into a national database from 127 acute care facilities, 22 SCIUs, and 133 LTCFs were evaluated for trends using negative binomial regression.</p><p><b>RESULTS: </b>There were 23,153,240 intensive care unit (ICU) and non-ICU, and 1,794,234 SCIU patient-days from October 2007-September 2015, and 22,262,605 LTCF resident-days from July 2009-September 2015. Admission nasal swabbing remained >92% in all 3 venues. Admission prevalence changed from 13.2%-13.5% in acute care, from 35.1%-32.0% in SCIUs, and from 23.1%-25.0% in LTCFs during the analysis periods. Monthly HAI rates fell 87.0% in ICUs, 80.1% in non-ICUs, 80.9% in SCIUs, and 49.4% in LTCFs (all P values < .0001 for trend). During September 2015, there were 2 MRSA HAIs reported in ICUs, 20 (with 3 in SCIUs) in non-ICUs, and 31 in LTCFs nationwide.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS: </b>MRSA HAI rates declined significantly in acute care, SCIUs, and LTCFs over 8 years of the Veterans Affairs MRSA Prevention Initiative.</p>},
  year = {2017},
  journal = {Am J Infect Control},
  volume = {45},
  pages = {13-16},
  month = {12/2017},
  issn = {1527-3296},
  doi = {10.1016/j.ajic.2016.08.010},
  language = {eng},
}