Molecular characterisation and epidemiology of transmission of intraoperative isolates stratified by vancomycin minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC).

Background: Reduced vancomycin susceptibility in () is considered a more pathogenic strain characteristic and is associated with treatment failure. We aimed to characterise the epidemiology of intraoperative transmission of isolates with reduced vancomycin susceptibility.

Methods: isolates (N=173) collected from 274 randomly selected operating room environments at three major academic medical centres in 2009-2010 were characterised by vancomycin minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC).

Effectiveness and feasibility of an evidence-based intraoperative infection control program targeting improved basic measures: a post-implementation prospective case-cohort study.

Study Objective: A randomized controlled study demonstrated that an optimized intraoperative infection control program targeting basic preventive measures can reduce Staphylococcus aureus transmission and surgical site infections. In this study we address potential limitations of operating room heterogeneity of infections and compliance with behavioral interventions following adoption into clinical practice.

Design: A post-implementation prospective case-cohort study.

Operating room PathTrac analysis of current intraoperative Staphylococcus aureus transmission dynamics.

Background: Operating room (OR) reservoir Staphylococcus aureus isolates have been linked to 50% of surgical site infections. We aimed to assess S aureus transmission dynamics in today's ORs to further guide health care-associated infection prevention.

Methods: Forty OR case-pairs were randomly selected for observation in a 5-month prospective cohort study.

High-risk Staphylococcus aureus transmission in the operating room: A call for widespread improvements in perioperative hand hygiene and patient decolonization practices.

Background: Increased awareness of the epidemiology of transmission of pathogenic bacterial strain characteristics may help to improve compliance with intraoperative infection control measures. Our aim was to characterize the epidemiology of intraoperative transmission of high-risk Staphylococcus aureus sequence types (STs).

Methods: S aureus isolates collected from 3 academic medical centers underwent whole cell genome analysis, analytical profile indexing, and biofilm absorbance.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus has greater risk of transmission in the operating room than methicillin-sensitive S aureus.

Background: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a pathogenic S aureus strain characteristic associated with increased patient morbidity and mortality. The health care system needs to understand MRSA transmissibility in all settings to improve basic preventive measures to generate sustained reductions in invasive MRSA infections. Our primary aim was to compare intraoperative transmissibility of MRSA versus methicillin-sensitive S aureus (MSSA) isolates.