Epidemiology and risk factors of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections in a tertiary care hospital in Saudi Arabia: An 8-year retrospective analysis.

Objectives: To control the spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in healthcare institutions, understanding its local epidemiology is essential. We aimed to investigate the epidemiological, clinical, and bacteriological features of MRSA cases and compare their origin (hospital-acquired versus [vs.] community-acquired) and patient age (pediatric vs. adult).

Methods: A retrospective survey was conducted using the electronic database of all MRSA cases reported to the Infection Prevention and Control Center at a tertiary care hospital in Saudi Arabia from 2012 to 2020. We collected epidemiological, clinical, and microbiological data and performed comparative analyses between groups using appropriate statistical tests.

Results: Among 1,145 patients (mean age: 41.2 ± 30.1 years; 67.4% male), 627 (54.8%) were colonization cases and 518 (45.2%) were infections. A significant proportion (68%) of MRSA infections were hospital-acquired. The mean incidence rate of MRSA infection was 0.22 per 1,000 patient-days, with a decreasing trend over time. Hospital-acquired MRSA infections were significantly associated with older age, intensive care unit stay, immunosuppressive therapy, and invasive devices.

Conclusion: Despite a declining trend, MRSA remains a significant healthcare challenge, particularly among elderly, immunocompromised, and critically ill patients.