The Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Vital Signs report, released on Tuesday, shows the rate of staph infections in the U.S. is not improving. The report said 119,000-plus individuals developed bloodstream Staphylococcus aureus (staph) infections in 2017. Among that group, almost 20,000 people died. CDC says this finding “underscores that both types of S. aureus (methicillin-resistant or MRSA, and methicillin-susceptible or MSSA) can be fatal.”
While yesterday’s findings show that hospital infection control efforts successfully reduced rates of serious staph infections in the U.S. (about 17% each year 2005-2012), the data indicates that success is slowing and that the rise in staph infections in the community may be linked to the opioid crisis.
Nearly 1 in 10 serious staph infections in 2016 occurred in people who inject drugs such as opioids, indicating that the rise of staph infections in communities may be connected to the opioid crisis. In 2016, 9% of all serious staph infections happened in people who inject drugs – rising from 4% in 2011 according to the report. “To reduce the incidence of these infections further, health care facilities should take steps to fully implement CDC recommendations for prevention of device- and procedure-associated infections and for interruption of transmission. New and novel prevention strategies are also needed,” the authors stated.
CDC suggests healthcare providers should:
- Follow current recommendations for preventing device- and procedure-related infections.
- Prevent spread of staph, including use of Contact Precautions (gloves and gowns) for resistant infections. Consider actions including screening high-risk patients and decolonization of germs during high-risk periods, such as intensive care unit (ICU) stays, surgery, or device use.
- Treat infections appropriately and rapidly if they do occur.
- Educate patients about ways to avoid infection and spread, and about early signs of sepsis.
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