Document Detail


Rapid PCR detection of the methicillin resistance gene, mecA, on the hands of medical and non-medical personnel and healthy children and on surfaces in a neonatal intensive care unit.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  11515757     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
The hands of medical personnel are the chief vectors for transmission of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and probably serve as an important reservoir for antibiotic resistance genes in hospitals. In this survey we examined different reservoirs of the methicillin resistance gene, mecA, using a simplified PCR method. Samples (n = 151) were taken from the hands of medical and non-medical personnel and healthy children and from surfaces in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). We also performed sampling from 4 different body sites in 5 of the medical personnel. Fifteen out of 16 nurses (94%) from the ICU carried the mecA gene on their hands, whereas only 35% of the paediatric nurses were mecA-positive. Of all medical personnel, 44% carried the mecA gene on their hands. There was a significant difference (p < 0.015) between medical and non-medical personnel in terms of the carriage rate of mecA. Four samples from surfaces in a NICU--2 ventilators, 1 bench and 1 telephone--were positive for mecA. Our results are comparable with those from previous studies on reservoirs of methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci using conventional culture techniques.
Authors:
C Klingenberg; G T Glad; R Olsvik; T Flaegstad
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Scandinavian journal of infectious diseases     Volume:  33     ISSN:  0036-5548     ISO Abbreviation:  Scand. J. Infect. Dis.     Publication Date:  2001  
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2001-08-22     Completed Date:  2002-01-15     Revised Date:  2008-11-21    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0215333     Medline TA:  Scand J Infect Dis     Country:  Sweden    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  494-7     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital Tromsø, Norway.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adolescent
Adult
Bacterial Proteins*
Carrier Proteins / genetics*
Child
Child, Preschool
Environmental Microbiology*
Hand / microbiology*
Hexosyltransferases*
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Infectious Disease Transmission, Professional-to-Patient
Intensive Care Units, Neonatal
Interior Design and Furnishings*
Methicillin Resistance / genetics*
Muramoylpentapeptide Carboxypeptidase / genetics*
Penicillin-Binding Proteins
Peptidyl Transferases*
Personnel, Hospital*
Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods*
Staphylococcal Infections / genetics,  transmission*
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Bacterial Proteins; 0/Carrier Proteins; 0/Penicillin-Binding Proteins; EC 2.3.2.12/Peptidyl Transferases; EC 2.4.1.-/Hexosyltransferases; EC 3.4.17.8/Muramoylpentapeptide Carboxypeptidase

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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