Hawaii has the highest MRSA Rate
Posted by Patti on July 10th, 2007 / Print This Post
Interesting. Of all the states, I would have thought New York or California. Not Hawaii!
Hawaii had the highest prevalence of drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in the nation last fall when 1,200 hospitals, long-term care and rehabilitation facilities were surveyed across the country.The study covered 187,058 patients in the facilities, of whom 8,654 either were infected or “colonized” with methicillin- resistant staph A, said Susan Slavish, infection prevention and control coordinator at the Queen’s Medical Center.
In participating Hawaii facilities, 91 patients were identified with the superbug out of every 1,000, compared with 46 per 1,000 patients in the study overall, she said.
Although she has seen drug-resistant staph increasing here over the years, Slavish said, “I think I was surprised we were No. 1.”
Other high superbug states were Maine, New York and South Carolina, which had more than 60 patients with the drug-resistant bug per every 1,000 patients.
The comprehensive study was reported at the annual meeting of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology June 25-28 in San Jose, Calif. Participating facilities were not identified, but more information will be available when the study is published, said Slavish, who attended the meeting.
Another related article about these infections:
By the Numbers2% In 1972, the percentage of hospital-acquired infections that were drug-resistant.
50%-70% In 2006, the percentage of hospital-acquired infections that are drug-resistant.
30% The percentage of Americans who “carry” staphylococcus aureus harmlessly in their nasal passages.
2 million The number of hospital-acquired infections in the United States each year.
23% The mortality rate among patients whose blood becomes infected with a strain of staphylococcus aureus that’s resistant to common antibiotics.
10 days The average time a hospital stay is extended when a patient contracts an antibiotic-resistant infection.
$21,394 The average additional cost for treating a drug-resistant infection (as opposed to a hospital-acquired infection easily treated with antibiotics).
$45 billion The estimated national total costs associated with treating hospital-acquired infections.
WASH YOUR HANDS!!!