Strategies for the management of healthcare staff colonized with epidemic methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

An outbreak of epidemic methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) caused by EMRSA-16 has affected hospitals in north east Northamptonshire since April 1991. Between the start of the outbreak and December 1995, 74 healthcare staff (0.9% of the staff screened) were colonized by the outbreak strain. Thirty-two percent of colonized staff were excluded from work, and six were excluded for periods of longer than three weeks. Twenty-four percent of staff had more than one course of treatment to eradicate carriage. The contribution of staff carriage in hospitals where EMRSA-16 is endemic and strategies for the management of colonized staff are discussed. We conclude that screening of staff has a limited role in the control of outbreaks caused by EMRSA-16 and that when resources for screening are scarce priority should be given to patients.