Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) incidence and bed occupancy rates at St Luke's Hospital, Malta, were assessed over a 24-month period. A significant positive correlation was established (r=0.463; P<0.05) between new cases of MRSA infections and overall levels of bed occupancy. This would imply that overcrowding may be a relevant factor in MRSA spread within hospitals, even in non-intensive care settings.
MeSH terms
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Bed Occupancy / statistics & numerical data*
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Cross Infection / epidemiology*
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Cross Infection / etiology
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Crowding*
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Hospital Bed Capacity, 500 and over
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Hospitals, Religious
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Humans
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Incidence
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Infection Control
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Intensive Care Units / statistics & numerical data
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Length of Stay / statistics & numerical data
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Malta / epidemiology
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Methicillin Resistance*
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Nursing Staff, Hospital / supply & distribution
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Patients' Rooms
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Personnel Staffing and Scheduling / statistics & numerical data
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Prevalence
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Retrospective Studies
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Risk Factors
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Seasons
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Staphylococcal Infections / epidemiology*
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Staphylococcal Infections / etiology
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Staphylococcus aureus*
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Workload