Meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in the intensive care unit: its effect on outcome and risk factors for acquisition

MRSA acquisition does not contribute towards mortality in critically ill patients. This raises questions regarding the cost-effectiveness of focusing infection prevention measures on the control of MRSA in ICUs. The low acquisition rate and lack of risk factors identified for MRSA in the study cohort indicate that efforts should be directed towards continual improvement of standard infection control procedures for all patients.