The burden of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in the delivery of eye care

BACKGROUND: To describe the clinical presentation, burden and antimicrobial resistance of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) eye infections and to recommend a streamlined protocol for the management of ocular MRSA colonisation detected by pre-operative screening. METHODS: A retrospective review of all ocular samples which resulted in the isolation of MRSA between 1(st) of January 2013 and 31(st) of December 2019 at the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital. RESULTS: A total of 185 samples taken from the ocular surface were MRSA positive. The majority were MRSA colonisation of the ocular surface obtained as part of an MRSA screen (139/6955 patients screened; 2%). Forty-six represented MRSA infections (46/7904 eye samples; 0.58%), most occurring in older patients the majority of whom had known local or systemic risk factors for colonisation. The most common presentation was conjunctivitis (n = 24), followed by pre-septal cellulitis (n = 9). MRSA infections with the poorest clinical outcomes and the longest inpatient stay, were keratitis (n = 6) and post-operative endophthalmitis (n = 2). Our study demonstrated over 60% resistance to azithromycin, fusidic acid and ciprofloxacin, although resistance to chloramphenicol was uncommon. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that MRSA infections of the eye most commonly manifest as a mild infection, typically conjunctivitis, and are generally non-sight threatening. The majority of presentations occur in the context of known MRSA risk factors and in an older populous. Resistance to chloramphenicol is rare, thus it remains an excellent first line treatment. Its use to eradicate MRSA from the ocular surface is proposed to streamline the delivery of surgical eye care.