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Volume 13, Number 11—November 2007
Research

Methamphetamine Use and Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Skin Infections

Adam L. Cohen*Comments to Author , Carrie Shuler*†, Sigrid McAllister*, Gregory E. Fosheim*, Michael G. Brown‡, Debra Abercrombie§, Karen F. Anderson*, Linda K. McDougal*, Cherie L. Drenzek†, Katie Arnold†, Daniel B. Jernigan*, and Rachel Gorwitz*
Author affiliations: *Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA; †Georgia Division of Public Health, Atlanta, Georgia, USA; ‡Kennestone Hospital, Marietta, Georgia, USA; §Northwest Georgia Health District 1–1, Rome, Georgia, USA;

Main Article

Table 2

Risk factors for MRSA skin and soft tissue infection*

Risk factors Case-patients, no. (%) Controls, 
no. (%) Crude OR (95% CI) Adjusted OR† (95% CI)
Drug use and medical history
Recent skin infection‡ 34 (42.0) 22 (7.8) 8.41 (4.54–15.59) 7.92 (4.10–15.28)
Recent methamphetamine use‡ 8 (9.9) 5 (1.8) 5.64 (1.80–17.69) 5.10 (1.55–16.79)
Antimicrobial agents within 6 months 40 (49.4) 114 (40.1) 1.43 (0.87–2.34) 1.52 (0.89–2.60)
Recent hospitalization, surgery, or dialysis‡ 8 (9.9) 27 (9.5) 1.06 (0.46–2.44) 1.24 (0.51–2.97)
Diabetes 10 (12.4) 23 (8.1) 1.61 (0.73–3.57) 2.03 (0.83–4.98)
Liver disease
1 (1.2)
9 (3.2)
0.38 (0.05–3.07)
0.59 (0.70–4.91)
Contact exposure
Household contact with someone with skin
infection 21 (25.9) 27 (9.5) 3.26 (1.72–6.17) 3.19 (1.58–6.48)
Crowding (>1 person/bedroom) 44 (54.3) 111 (39.1) 2.06 (1.22–3.45) 1.78 (1.004–3.15)§
Recent sexual contact‡ 48 (59.3) 182 (64.1) 0.85 (0.51–1.42) 0.68 (0.38–1.22)
Recent sexual contact with someone with
skin infection‡ 7 (8.6) 6 (2.1) 4.28 (1.40–13.08) 5.42 (1.68–17.50)
Recent contact sports‡ 9 (11.1) 11 (3.9) 2.92 (1.17–7.31) 1.37 (0.47–4.03)
Recent jail‡
4 (4.9)
9 (3.2)
1.46 (0.44–4.90)
1.75 (0.48–6.42)
Hygiene practices
Frequent skin picking 17 (20.1) 24 (8.5) 2.77 (1.40–5.47) 2.53 (1.22–5.23)
Bathe less than daily 5 (6.2) 31 (10.9) 0.50 (0.19–1.34) 0.56 (0.19–1.67)

*MRSA, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; OR, odds ratio; CI, confidence interval.
†All models are adjusted for age, sex, race, and methamphetamine use, except the model for methamphetamine use, which is adjusted only for age, sex, and race.
‡Recent = within the 3 months prior to survey.
§p = 0.048.

Main Article

Page created: July 05, 2010
Page updated: July 05, 2010
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The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
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