Collection

Staphylococcus aureus: guidance, data and analysis

• From: Public Health England
• Part of: Patient safety and Infectious diseases
• Published: 9 July 2014
• Last updated: 2 February 2017, see all updates

The characteristics, diagnosis, management, surveillance and epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus.

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a bacterium that commonly colonises human skin and mucosa without causing any problems. It can also cause disease, particularly if there is an opportunity for the bacteria to enter the body, for example through broken skin or a medical procedure.

If the bacteria enter the body, illnesses which range from mild to life-threatening may then develop. These include skin and wound infections, infected eczema, abscesses or joint infections, infections of the heart valves (endocarditis), pneumonia and bacteraemia (blood stream infection).

Most strains of S. aureus are sensitive to the more commonly used antibiotics, and infections can be effectively treated. Some S. aureus bacteria are more resistant. Those resistant to the antibiotic meticillin are termed meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and often require different types of antibiotic to treat them. Those that are sensitive to meticillin are termed meticillin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). MRSA and MSSA only differ in their degree of antibiotic resistance: other than that there is no real difference between them.

Diagnosis and management

• Additional Staphylococcus aureus guidelines.
• Chief Medical Officer letter: MRSA screening operational guidance 3, issued 31 March 2010
• Chief Medical Officer letter: MRSA screening operational guidance 2, issued 31 December 2008

1. MRSA: information for patients

   • 1 March 2010
   • Guidance

2. Who to screen for MRSA

   • 18 August 2014
   • Guidance

3. MRSA in patients with renal failure

   • 1 March 2007
   • Guidance

Epidemiology

PHE has carried out mandatory enhanced surveillance of MRSA bacteraemia since October 2005 and of MSSA bacteraemia since January 2011 for NHS acute trusts; patient-level data of any MRSA and MSSA bacteraemias are reported monthly to PHE. Independent sector (IS) healthcare organisations providing regulated activities also undertake surveillance of MRSA and MSSA bacteraemia.

From 1 April 2013, all NHS organisations reporting positive cases of MRSA bacteraemia are required to complete a Post Infection Review (PIR)

1. MRSA bacteraemia: monthly data by post infection review assignment

   • 5 July 2017
   • National Statistics

2. MRSA bacteraemia: monthly data by attributed clinical commissioning group

   • 5 July 2017
   • National Statistics

3. MRSA bacteraemia: annual data

   • 6 July 2017
   • National Statistics

4. MSSA bacteraemia: monthly data by NHS acute trust

   • 5 July 2017
   • National Statistics

5. MSSA bacteraemia: monthly data by attributed clinical commissioning group

   • 5 July 2017
   • National Statistics

6. MSSA bacteraemia: annual data

   • 6 July 2017
   • National Statistics

7. Staphylococcus aureus: annual trends in voluntary surveillance

   • 21 August 2015
   • Research and analysis

8. MRSA, MSSA and E. coli bacteraemia and C. difficile infection: annual epidemiological commentary

   • 6 July 2017
   • National Statistics

9. MRSA, MSSA and E. coli bacteraemia and C. difficile infection: quarterly epidemiological commentary

   • 8 June 2017
   • National Statistics

10. MRSA, MSSA and E. coli bacteraemia and Clostridium difficile infection: 6-monthly data for independent sector healthcare organisations

    • 4 April 2017
    • Official Statistics

11. MRSA, MSSA and E. coli bacteraemia and Clostridium difficile infection: annual data for independent sector healthcare organisations

    • 4 October 2016
    • Official Statistics

12. MRSA, MSSA and E. coli bacteraemia and C. difficile infection: 30 day all-cause fatality

    • 5 January 2017
    • Research and analysis

Official statistics compliance

We produce Healthcare associated infections (HCAI) mandatory surveillance statistics publications in accordance with the code of practice for official statistics and they are designated as National Statistics. The data-specific documents below describe our compliance with aspects of the Code.

User engagement

The stakeholder engagement summary collates evidence from mandatory HCAI surveillance statistics users and provides:

• a summary of how the statistics are used
• views on how provision of the statistics meets the needs of users
• our actions in response to user feedback

We will update this document as we receive further user feedback.

Read minutes of the HCAI Mandatory Surveillance Stakeholder Engagement Forum.

1. Pre-release access list: mandatory HCAI statistical releases

   • 15 December 2016
   • Guidance

2. MRSA, MSSA and E. coli bacteraemia and C. difficile infection mandatory data: revisions and amendments policy

   • 22 March 2016
   • Guidance

3. Mandatory healthcare associated infection (HCAI) surveillance: data quality statement

   • 7 April 2016
   • Guidance

Document information

Published: 9 July 2014

Updated: 2 February 2017

+ full page history

1. 2 February 2017 Updated with links to the 6 June 2016 meeting.
2. 21 March 2016 Added MRSA, MSSA and E. coli bacteraemia and C. difficile infection: 30 day all-cause fatality to collection.
3. 9 July 2014 First published.

From: Public Health England

Part of: Patient safety Infectious diseases