Hospital outbreak of multiresistant Staphylococcus aureus in Victoria, 1979-1984.

The outbreak of nosocomial infection caused by multiresistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains in Victoria has been monitored by a continuing programme of collecting monthly statistics from all hospitals on new patients who have been either colonized or infected by these strains. Data collected during the period from November 1980 to September 1984 have been plotted on graphs. Whereas the prevalence of MRSA strains has remained virtually unchanged, the number of infections attributed to them appears to have gradually decreased since November 1982.