Intervention to reduce the incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus skin infections in a correctional facility in Georgia.

Background And Objective: In August 2001, a cluster of MRSA skin infections was detected in a correctional facility. An investigation was conducted to determine its cause and to prevent further MRSA infections.

Design: Case-control study.

Setting: A 200-bed detention center.

Patients: A case was defined as a detainee with a skin lesion from which MRSA was cultured from July 24 through December 31, 2001. Case-patients were identified by review of laboratory culture results and by skin lesion screening through point-prevalence survey and admission examination. Controls were randomly selected from an alphabetized list of detainees.

Intervention: Medical staff implemented measures to improve skin disease screening, personal hygiene, wound care, and antimicrobial therapy.

Results: Sixteen cases were identified: 11, 5, and 0 in the preintervention, peri-intervention, and postintervention periods, respectively. Seven case-patients and 19 controls were included in the case-control study. On multivariable analysis, working as a dormitory orderly (OR, 9.8; CI95, 0.74-638; P = .10) and a stay of longer than 36 days (OR, 6.9; CI95, 0.65-128.2; P = .14) were the strongest predictors for MRSA skin infection. The preintervention, peri-intervention, and postintervention MRSA infection rates were 11.6, 8.8, and 0 per 10,000 detainee-days, respectively. The rate of MRSA skin infections declined significantly between both the preintervention and peri-intervention periods and the postintervention period (P < .01 for both comparisons).

Conclusions: MRSA skin disease can become an emergent problem in a correctional facility. Interventions targeted at skin disease screening, appropriate antimicrobial treatment, and hygiene may decrease the risk of acquiring MRSA infection in correctional facilities.