Occurrence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a department of orthopedic surgery 1970 to 1986.

The incidence of methicillin-resistant (and multiply-resistant) strains of Staphylococcus aureus in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Odense University Hospital fell from 15% of all strains in 1970 to less than 0.5% in 1986. This decrease occurred more slowly in the orthopedic department than in the rest of the hospital. A retrospective survey of 30 episodes of infection due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from 1979 to 1986 indicates that this slower decrease may be due to the relatively frequent occurrence of chronic infections in orthopedic surgery.