Spring Break
City's staph infection rate highest in the nation
Drug-resistant strain can potentially kill if untreated
Issue date: 11/1/07
Active surveillance involves frequent contact with hospitals to identify cases of MRSA infection not reported spontaneously.
"We have contacts in all hospitals [and] laboratories that perform cultures on Baltimore City residents with invasive MRSA infections," Harrison said.
Harrison could not explain why the rate in Baltimore was so high as compared to the other sites studied.
"The bottom line is that we really don't know for sure," Harrison said. "One possibility is that Baltimore City, a highly urban area, is being compared to other ABCs sites, which include more of a mix of urban, suburban and rural areas."
"It's comparing apples to oranges," said Laura Herrera, chief medical officer for the Baltimore City Health Department. She noted that chronic diseases are more prevalent in urban areas.
According to Harrison, it would be difficult to monitor the rate of MRSA infections in other areas. "Unfortunately, the number of ABCs sites is limited and it is very difficult to generate an accurate picture of MRSA disease burden in an area without doing the type of active surveillance we do in ABCs," Harrison said.
He added that the Maryland ABCs is discussing plans to modify MRSA surveillance in Baltimore by possibly monitoring all of Baltimore County and identifying the MRSA strains found in the city.
"I am hoping that, now that we have defined the public health burden of invasive MRSA infection, preventive measures will be increased," Harrison said.
"More information needs to be collected before a plan is put in place," said Herrera, who added that the Health Department is currently taking inventory of hospitals and other health care providers and requesting that they disclose MRSA infection statistics.
Anthony McCarthy, director of communications for Mayor Shelia Dixon, declined to comment.
"We all have a lot of work to do to get a handle on MRSA," said Nancy Fiedler, spokesperson for the Maryland Hospital Association (MHA).
"We have contacts in all hospitals [and] laboratories that perform cultures on Baltimore City residents with invasive MRSA infections," Harrison said.
Harrison could not explain why the rate in Baltimore was so high as compared to the other sites studied.
"The bottom line is that we really don't know for sure," Harrison said. "One possibility is that Baltimore City, a highly urban area, is being compared to other ABCs sites, which include more of a mix of urban, suburban and rural areas."
"It's comparing apples to oranges," said Laura Herrera, chief medical officer for the Baltimore City Health Department. She noted that chronic diseases are more prevalent in urban areas.
According to Harrison, it would be difficult to monitor the rate of MRSA infections in other areas. "Unfortunately, the number of ABCs sites is limited and it is very difficult to generate an accurate picture of MRSA disease burden in an area without doing the type of active surveillance we do in ABCs," Harrison said.
He added that the Maryland ABCs is discussing plans to modify MRSA surveillance in Baltimore by possibly monitoring all of Baltimore County and identifying the MRSA strains found in the city.
"I am hoping that, now that we have defined the public health burden of invasive MRSA infection, preventive measures will be increased," Harrison said.
"More information needs to be collected before a plan is put in place," said Herrera, who added that the Health Department is currently taking inventory of hospitals and other health care providers and requesting that they disclose MRSA infection statistics.
Anthony McCarthy, director of communications for Mayor Shelia Dixon, declined to comment.
"We all have a lot of work to do to get a handle on MRSA," said Nancy Fiedler, spokesperson for the Maryland Hospital Association (MHA).
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