MRSA drops significantly in N.C. hospital

GREENVILLE, N.C., April 7 (UPI) -- A North Carolina hospital says it has reduced the rate of ventilator-associated pneumonia caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Dr. Keith Ramsey, medical director for Infection Control at Pitt County Memorial Hospital, says the hospital has not seen any ventilator-associated pneumonia since June 2007.

During the 12-month intervention period, MRSA ventilator-associated pneumonia rates in the surgical intensive care unit decreased by 68 percent due to the implementation of a comprehensive infection control program that included hospital-wide active surveillance using a diagnostic test for MRSA, the hospital said.