Withdrawal of Staphylococcus aureus from intensive care units in Turkey

PubMedID: 23663858Background: In the past, Staphylococcus aureus infections have displayed various patterns of epidemiologic curves in hospitals, particularly in intensive care units (ICUs). This study aimed to characterize the current trend in a nationwide survey of ICUs in Turkey. Methods: A total of 88 ICUs from 36 Turkish tertiary hospitals were included in this retrospective study, which was performed during the first 3 months of both 2008 (period [P] 1) and 2011 (P2). A P value ?.01 was considered significant. Results: Although overall rates of hospital-acquired infection (HAI) and device-associated infection densities were similar in P1 and P2, the densities of HAIs due to S aureus and methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA) were significantly lower in P2 (P <.0001). However, the proportion of HAIs due to Acinetobacter was significantly higher in P2 (P <.0001). Conclusions: The incidence of S aureus infections is declining rapidly in Turkish ICUs, with potential impacts on empirical treatment strategies in these ICUs. Copyright © 2013 by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved