Cross border comparison of MRSA bacteraemia between the Netherlands and North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany): A cross-sectional study

Brigitte A.G.L. van Cleef, Jan A.J.W. Kluytmans, Birgit H.B. van Benthem, Anja Haenen, Jos Monen, Inka Daniels-Haardt, Annette Jurke, Alexander W. Friedrich

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

17 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: We describe the impact of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in two neighbouring regions in Europe with a comparable population size, North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) in Germany and the Netherlands. Methodology/Principal Findings: We compared the occurrence of MRSA in blood cultures from surveillance systems. In the Netherlands in 2009, 14 of 1,510 (0.9%) Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia episodes under surveillance were MRSA. Extrapolation using the number of clinical admissions results in a total of 29 MRSA bacteraemia episodes in the Netherlands or 1.8 episodes per 1,000,000 inhabitants. In 2010 in NRW, 1,029 MRSA bacteraemias were reported, resulting in 57.6 episodes of MRSA bacteraemia per 1,000,000 inhabitants: a 32-fold higher incidence than in the Netherlands. Conclusion/Significance: Based on an estimated attributable mortality of 15%, the Dutch approach would save approximately 150 lives per year by the prevention of bacteraemia only.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere42787
JournalPLoS ONE
Volume7
Issue number8
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 3 Aug 2012
Externally publishedYes

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