Beschreibung:
<jats:title>Summary</jats:title><jats:sec><jats:title>Background</jats:title><jats:p>To optimize preventive measures to control MRSA, we investigated retrospectively the suitability of a multiple site screening model and the optimal sampling technique to detect MRSA in a university‐based phlebology and skin cancer center in Germany.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Patients and Methods</jats:title><jats:p>During 4.5 years samples of 3 712 inpatients in a dermatologic department were analyzed for MRSA by conventional microbiologic cultures and in parallel by PCR. Samples were taken from nares, wounds and skin lesions.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results</jats:title><jats:p>MRSA was detected in 60 inpatients (1.6%). 268 of 7 269 (3.7%) samples at admission and during hospital stay were found positive ñ 96 (35.8%) of these were swabs of nares, 59 (22.0%) surveillance swabs, 53 (19.8%) wound swabs and 42 (15.7%) from other dermatologic lesions. Twenty‐five of 60 patients (41.7%) were found positive only in the nares, 10 (16.7%) patients only in wounds and 4 (6.7%) patients only in lesions. 166 (61.9%) of all positive culture samples became positive 24 hours after cultivation, 86 (32.1%) after 48 hours, and 16 (6.0%) after 72 hours.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusions</jats:title><jats:p>Highest sensitivity to detect MRSA can be reached by combining three swabs: nares, wounds and skin lesions (ìtriple‐testî). Culture of screening specimens for 72 hours is recommended.</jats:p></jats:sec>