Dataset Information

Environmental Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Contamination, Persistent Colonization, and Subsequent Skin and Soft Tissue Infection.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

The longitudinal association among persistent Staphylococcus aureus colonization, household environmental contamination, and recurrent skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI) is largely unexplored to date.

Objectives

To identify factors associated with persistent S aureus colonization and recurrent SSTI in households with children with community-associated methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA) SSTI.

Design, setting, and participants

This 12-month prospective cohort study included 150 children with community-associated MRSA SSTI, 542 household contacts, and 154 pets enrolled from January 3, 2012, through October 20, 2015. A total of 5 quarterly home visits were made to 150 households in the St Louis, Missouri, region. Statistical analysis was performed from September 18, 2018, to January 7, 2020.

Exposures

Covariates used in S aureus strain persistence and interval SSTI models included S aureus colonization and contamination measures, personal hygiene and sharing habits, health history, activities external to the home, and household characteristics (eg, cleanliness, crowding, home ownership, and pets). Serial samples to detect S aureus were collected from household members at 3 anatomic sites, from pets at 2 anatomic sites, and from environmental surfaces at 21 sites.

Main outcomes and measures

Molecular epidemiologic findings of S aureus isolates were assessed via repetitive-sequence polymerase chain reaction. Individual persistent colonization was defined as colonization by an identical strain for 2 consecutive samplings. Longitudinal, multivariable generalized mixed-effects logistic regression models were used to assess factors associated with persistent S aureus personal colonization, environmental contamination, and interval SSTI.

Results

Among 692 household members in 150 households, 326 (47%) were male and 366 (53%) were female, with a median age of 14.82 years (range, 0.05-82.25 years). Of 540 participants completing all 5 samplings, 213 (39%) were persistently colonized with S aureus, most often in the nares and with the strain infecting the index patient at enrollment. Nine pets (8%) were persistently colonized with S aureus. Participants reporting interval intranasal mupirocin application were less likely to experience persistent colonization (odds ratio [OR], 0.44; 95% credible interval [CrI], 0.30-0.66), whereas increasing strain-specific environmental contamination pressure was associated with increased individual persistent colonization (OR, 1.17; 95% CrI, 1.06-1.30). Strains with higher colonization pressure (OR, 1.47; 95% CrI, 1.25-1.71) and MRSA strains (OR, 1.57; 95% CrI, 1.16-2.19) were more likely to persist. Seventy-six index patients (53%) and 101 household contacts (19%) reported interval SSTIs. Individuals persistently colonized with MRSA (OR, 1.56; 95% CrI, 1.17-2.11), those with a history of SSTI (OR, 2.55; 95% CrI, 1.88-3.47), and index patients (OR, 1.54; 95% CrI, 1.07-2.23) were more likely to report an interval SSTI.

Conclusions and relevance

The study findings suggest that recurrent SSTI is associated with persistent MRSA colonization of household members and contamination of environmental surfaces. Future studies may elucidate the effectiveness of specific combinations of personal decolonization and environmental decontamination efforts in eradicating persistent strains and mitigating recurrent SSTIs.

SUBMITTER: Hogan PG

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7105954 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:Abstract Background Strategies to interrupt household transmission of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) that target human colonization show mixed results. Our aim was to determine whether home environmental contamination and pet carriage with MRSA were associated with re-colonization or persistent colonization of index patients diagnosed with CA-MRSA skin or soft-tissue infection (SSTI). Methods Index patients from a randomized controlled trial (NCT00966446) that tested household-wide decolonization of people were eligible to participate in this substudy. Before randomization, eight environmental sites and all pets were sampled in the home. Patients were treated by their physician for the initial SSTI between diagnosis (visit 0) and the home visit (visit 1). They provided swabs every 2 weeks for 3 months (7 visits). After broth-enrichment culture, MRSA isolates were PCR-confirmed and spa-typed. Results Of 88 index patients recruited from the main trial, 64 (73%) provided swabs for ?3 visits and were included in this analysis. At visit 1, 41 (64%) households were MRSA contaminated and 6 (9%) had MRSA-positive pet(s). All MRSA-positive pets lived in homes with MRSA environmental contamination. After visit 1, 42 (66%) index patients and their household members were block-randomized to nasal mupirocin and chlorhexidine body wash decolonization. Thirty-seven (58%) index patients had two consecutive negative swabs (de-colonized); 13 (35%) of these later were MRSA-positive (re-colonized). Patients with home contamination had higher rates of re-colonization than those without (Cox proportional hazard ratio 6.0 [95% CI: 1.2, 30.6], P < 0.03). Persistent colonization (all or all but one swab positive) was identified in 6 (9%) of index patients and was associated with identification of matching spa-types in environmental and subsequent human MRSA isolates (P < 0.05). Conclusion In patients with MRSA SSTI, MRSA-contaminated homes, and potentially MRSA-positive pets, are associated with re-colonization and persistent colonization. Future studies are needed to determine whether environmental decontamination can improve the success of household decolonization interventions. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

Project description:ImportanceHousehold environmental surfaces may serve as vectors for the acquisition and spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) among household members, although few studies have evaluated which objects are important reservoirs of MRSA.ObjectivesTo determine the prevalence of environmental MRSA contamination in households of children with MRSA infection; define the molecular epidemiology of environmental, pet, and human MRSA strains within households; and identify factors associated with household MRSA contamination.Design, setting, and participantsFifty children with active or recent culture-positive community-associated MRSA infection were enrolled from 2012 to 2013 at St Louis Children's Hospital and at community pediatric practices affiliated with the Washington University Pediatric and Adolescent Ambulatory Research Consortium in St Louis, Missouri.Main outcomes and measuresSamples of participants' nares, axillae, and inguinal folds were cultured to detect S aureus colonization. Samples of 21 household environmental surfaces, as well as samples obtained from pet dogs and cats, were cultured. Molecular typing of S aureus strains was performed by repetitive-sequence polymerase chain reaction to determine strain relatedness within households.ResultsMethicillin-resistant S aureus was recovered from samples of environmental surfaces in 23 of the 50 households (46%), most frequently from the participant's bed linens (18%), television remote control (16%), and bathroom hand towel (15%). It colonized 12% of dogs and 7% of cats. At least 1 surface was contaminated with a strain type matching the participant's isolate in 20 households (40%). Participants colonized with S aureus had a higher mean (SD) proportion of MRSA-contaminated surfaces (0.15 [0.17]) than noncolonized participants (0.03 [0.06]; mean difference, 0.12 [95% CI, 0.05-0.20]). A greater number of individuals per 1000 ft 2 (93 m2) were also associated with a higher proportion of MRSA-contaminated surfaces (β = 0.34, P = .03). The frequency of cleaning household surfaces was not associated with S aureus environmental contamination.Conclusions and relevanceMethicillin-resistant S aureus strains concordant with infecting and colonizing strains are present on commonly handled household surfaces, a factor that likely perpetuates MRSA transmission and recurrent disease. Future studies are needed to determine methods to eradicate environmental contamination and prevent MRSA transmission in households.