Abstract
In 2010, we noticed that clinical cultures with unexpected MRSA in the Harbour Hospital (Port of Rotterdam, the Netherlands) were mainly from seafarers. Although the Harbour Hospital is especially equipped for seafarers, this patient population only accounts for 1.2% of all admissions [3]. Since seafarers are not considered an MRSA risk group, all seafarer patients were screened (nose and throat) at the Emergency Department of the Harbour Hospital in a six month prospective surveillance (2011). Perineum and wounds were screened additionally, if active infection or skin lesions were present. Detection of MRSA was performed as previously described [4], and spa typing was done at the reference laboratory of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) [5]. Furthermore, since the hospital is visited by a large number of seafarers, a case–control study was designed to identify risk factors for MRSA carriage among seafarers, in order to identify specific risk factors within this putative new risk group.
Highlights
To the editor: We applaud the successful implementation of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) screening programme on the German side of the Dutch–German border region (EUREGIO) [1]
In 2010, we noticed that clinical cultures with unexpected MRSA in the Harbour Hospital (Port of Rotterdam, the Netherlands) were mainly from seafarers
Since the hospital is visited by a large number of seafarers, a case–control study was designed to identify risk factors for MRSA carriage among seafarers, in order to identify specific risk factors within this putative new risk group
Summary
To the editor: We applaud the successful implementation of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) screening programme on the German side of the Dutch–German border region (EUREGIO) [1]. We report our recent finding of a previously unrecognised risk group for MRSA: seafarers. In 2010, we noticed that clinical cultures with unexpected MRSA in the Harbour Hospital (Port of Rotterdam, the Netherlands) were mainly from seafarers.
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