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A Staphylococcal Disease Outbreak in a Dermatologic Service: Bacteriological Studies; Effect of Prior Systemic Therapy

A Staphylococcal Disease Outbreak in a Dermatologic Service: Bacteriological Studies; Effect of... Abstract There are many recent publications describing the varying facets of staphylococcal outbreaks occurring in nurseries and on surgical and medical wards in hospitals.1,2 No publications have appeared, to the best of our knowledge, however, relating to the bacteriology of such disease in dermatologic wards. This report describes an outbreak, mainly caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Strain 80, 81, which was prevalent for more than 6 months on such a service. Analysis of factors related to the development of staphylococcal disease has been made previously in the absence of comprehensive bacteriological studies.2 An attempt is made to ascertain the importance of patients, personnel, and environment in the spread of Strain 80, 81. Material and Methods The dermatology service of Bellevue Hospital consists of 3 wards, each located on a different floor. Wards R-2 and R-4 are for men, while Ward R-3 is for women. Each ward has its own bath, References 1. A single comparison of simultaneous nose and wrist cultures of all patients and personnel and a similar comparison of 7 body sites on 7 patients revealed that the nose was the most frequent site of staphylococci. 2. Observations somewhat related to this were published recently by Weinstein5 and Williams et al.6 The former found that 12 of 31 patients whose preoperative nasal strains were phage typed developed infective complications postoperatively. Eleven of these yielded a lesion strain identical with the nasal one, 6 of which were Strain 80, 81. Williams et al., who studied a large group of surgical and some medical patients, noted that 35% of patients harboring nasally any of 10 strains of staphylococci which they regarded as more virulent phage types (none were 80, 81) developed wound sepsis, in all cases with a strain identical with the nasal one. 3. Proceedings of the National Conference on Hospital Acquired Staphylococcal Disease , Sponsored by U.S. Public Health Service, Communicable Disease Center and National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council, Atlanta, (Sept. 15) -17, 1958. 4. Selected Materials on Staphylococcal Disease , Public Health Service Publication No. 627, (Oct.) , 1958. 5. Biro, L.; Gibbs, R. C., and Leider, M.: Staphylococcal Infections: A Study of Incidence on a Dermatologic Ward , A.M.A. Arch. Dermat. 82:97-102 ( (Aug.) ) 1960. 6. Anderson, E. S., and Williams, R. E. O.: Bacteriophage Typing of Enteric Pathogens and Staphylococci and Its Use in Epidemiology , J. Clin. Path. 9:94-127 ( (May) ) 1956.Crossref 7. Goldberg, S.: A Device to Facilitate the Phage Typing of Staphylococcus, Newsletter, New York City Branch , Soc. Amer. Bact. Series II , No. (49) , May, 1959, p. 7. 8. Weinstein, H. J.: The Relation Between the Nasal-Staphylococcal Carrier State and the Incidence of Postoperative Complications , New England J. Med. 260:1303-1310 ( (June 25) ) 1959.Crossref 9. Williams, R. E. O.; Jevons, M. P.; Shooter, R. A.; Hunter, C. J. W.; Girling, J. A.; Griffiths, J. D., and Taylor, G. W.: Nasal Staphylococci and Sepsis in Hospital Patients , Brit. M.J. 2:658-662 ( (Oct. 10) ) 1959.Crossref http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Archives of Dermatology American Medical Association

A Staphylococcal Disease Outbreak in a Dermatologic Service: Bacteriological Studies; Effect of Prior Systemic Therapy

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References (8)

Publisher
American Medical Association
Copyright
Copyright © 1960 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.
ISSN
0003-987X
eISSN
1538-3652
DOI
10.1001/archderm.1960.01580050082011
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Abstract There are many recent publications describing the varying facets of staphylococcal outbreaks occurring in nurseries and on surgical and medical wards in hospitals.1,2 No publications have appeared, to the best of our knowledge, however, relating to the bacteriology of such disease in dermatologic wards. This report describes an outbreak, mainly caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Strain 80, 81, which was prevalent for more than 6 months on such a service. Analysis of factors related to the development of staphylococcal disease has been made previously in the absence of comprehensive bacteriological studies.2 An attempt is made to ascertain the importance of patients, personnel, and environment in the spread of Strain 80, 81. Material and Methods The dermatology service of Bellevue Hospital consists of 3 wards, each located on a different floor. Wards R-2 and R-4 are for men, while Ward R-3 is for women. Each ward has its own bath, References 1. A single comparison of simultaneous nose and wrist cultures of all patients and personnel and a similar comparison of 7 body sites on 7 patients revealed that the nose was the most frequent site of staphylococci. 2. Observations somewhat related to this were published recently by Weinstein5 and Williams et al.6 The former found that 12 of 31 patients whose preoperative nasal strains were phage typed developed infective complications postoperatively. Eleven of these yielded a lesion strain identical with the nasal one, 6 of which were Strain 80, 81. Williams et al., who studied a large group of surgical and some medical patients, noted that 35% of patients harboring nasally any of 10 strains of staphylococci which they regarded as more virulent phage types (none were 80, 81) developed wound sepsis, in all cases with a strain identical with the nasal one. 3. Proceedings of the National Conference on Hospital Acquired Staphylococcal Disease , Sponsored by U.S. Public Health Service, Communicable Disease Center and National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council, Atlanta, (Sept. 15) -17, 1958. 4. Selected Materials on Staphylococcal Disease , Public Health Service Publication No. 627, (Oct.) , 1958. 5. Biro, L.; Gibbs, R. C., and Leider, M.: Staphylococcal Infections: A Study of Incidence on a Dermatologic Ward , A.M.A. Arch. Dermat. 82:97-102 ( (Aug.) ) 1960. 6. Anderson, E. S., and Williams, R. E. O.: Bacteriophage Typing of Enteric Pathogens and Staphylococci and Its Use in Epidemiology , J. Clin. Path. 9:94-127 ( (May) ) 1956.Crossref 7. Goldberg, S.: A Device to Facilitate the Phage Typing of Staphylococcus, Newsletter, New York City Branch , Soc. Amer. Bact. Series II , No. (49) , May, 1959, p. 7. 8. Weinstein, H. J.: The Relation Between the Nasal-Staphylococcal Carrier State and the Incidence of Postoperative Complications , New England J. Med. 260:1303-1310 ( (June 25) ) 1959.Crossref 9. Williams, R. E. O.; Jevons, M. P.; Shooter, R. A.; Hunter, C. J. W.; Girling, J. A.; Griffiths, J. D., and Taylor, G. W.: Nasal Staphylococci and Sepsis in Hospital Patients , Brit. M.J. 2:658-662 ( (Oct. 10) ) 1959.Crossref

Journal

Archives of DermatologyAmerican Medical Association

Published: Nov 1, 1960

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