[August 10 ,1999]

MRSA and VRE in Ontario - Still room for optimism!
LPTP Newletter, No. 258

For the first time in the last 5 years, there appears to be an improvement in the rates of increase of MRSA in Ontario. In the August 10, 1999 LPTP newsletter, results of the 1998 survey indicated that although the actual number of MRSA cases increased between 1997 and 1998 (from 6866 to 8016), it was the smallest percentage increase at 17% since 1994. About 80% of these cases are colonized and are being identified through the routine screening programs implemented in most hospitals. Also, the increase in VRE from 1997-1998 was relatively small, with most cases being identified through screening and only 3% of patients actually infected. However, we continue to see importation of VRE from other countries with subsequent significant numbers of transmissions from these sources. Also, VRE control strains continue to present contamination problems in the laboratory resulting in inaccurate identification of patient specimens as VRE positive. Complete LPTP newsletter article available at website.