Patients with bloodstream infections caused by MRSA are at an increased risk for mortality, according to recent research presented at the International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Comorbidities, including diabetes and HIV, were also associated with a greater fatality risk from invasive MRSA.

“With each additional comorbidity, we found that risk for death increased 20%,” Kimberly R. Glenn, MPH, an epidemiology fellow at the Tennessee Department of Health, told Infectious Disease News. “Strict adherence to control measures will help prevent these deaths.”

Department of Health used vital statistics from Davidson County, Tennessee, from October 2004 to July 2007 to determine 30-day crude case-fatality ratio and mortality rates. Patient data from October 2004 to April 2007 were used to determine rates at 180 days.

Invasive MRSA rates in the study population were 59.1 per 100,000 between 2004 and 2007. At 180 days, case fatality rates were 21.4% among patients with MRSA bloodstream infections compared with 5.7% among patients with non-bloodstream infections.

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