Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in hospitals: time for a culture change

Infection control principles need to be at the core of Australian hospitals, not just an afterthought

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections continue to be an entrenched problem in hospitals throughout Australia,1-3 and create an added burden for hospital care, rather than simply replacing infections caused by more antibiotic-susceptible bacteria. The cost of not dealing with MRSA, as is currently the case in most Australian states, appears to be huge, including prolonged patient length of stay and reattendances to outpatient clinics, not to mention the suffering of affected patients. Yet many in the health sector feel overwhelmed by the MRSA problem, and see it as a part of life about which little can be done.