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The article focuses on a study on the determinants of methicilin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) carriage in nursing homes in Belgium. The mechanisms that modulate the prevalence of MRSA carriage include selection of resistant strains through antibiotic use and cross-contamination in the nursing home. The findings of the study revealed the higher risk of being an MRSA carrier when the roommate is MRSA positive. It stresses the importance of hand disinfection in controlling the infection.

This study examined time trends in the incidence of peptic ulcers and oesophagitis, and the prescription of acid-inhibiting drugs in the period 1994-2003. Data were retrieved from records in general practices in Flanders, Belgium. The incidence of duodenal ulcers decreased by two-thirds and the incidence of gastric ulcers halved, the incidence of oesophagitis initially increased and decreased slowly later on. In 10 years the proportion of patients taking proton-pump inhibitors rose sixfold while the proportion taking H2 antagonists remained stable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: General Practitioners (GPs) play a central role in controlling an important risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, i.e. cholesterol levels in serum. In the past few decades different studies have been published on the effect of treating hyperlipidemia with statins. Guidelines for treatment have been adopted. We investigated the consequences on the practice of GPs screening cholesterol levels and on the timing of starting statin prescription., Methods: For this descriptive study, data from the Intego database were used, composed with data from the electronic medical records (EMR) of 47 general practices in Flanders. GPs had not received special instructions for testing specific patients. For each patient the mean cholesterol level per year was calculated. A patient belonged to the group with lipid-lowering drugs if there was at least one prescription of the drug in a year in his EMR. Mixed model linear regression models were used to quantify the effect of covariates on total cholesterol values., Results: In the period 1994-2003 total cholesterol was tested in 47,254 out of 139,148 different patients. Twelve percent of those tested took lipid-lowering medication. The proportion of patients with at least one cholesterol test a year, increased over a period of ten years in all age groups, but primarily for those over the age of 65. The mean cholesterol level decreased in the treated as well as in the non-treated group. Of the patients with a cardiovascular antecedent who were on lipid-lowering drugs in 2003, 56% had a cholesterol level

Background/aims: Most studies on the epidemiology of erysipelas are done in hospitals, resulting in patient selection. The aim of this study is to determine epidemiological characteristics and comorbidity of erysipelas based on primary care data., Methods: Incidence rate study and nested case-control study. A database containing data from 52 general practices in Flanders, Belgium, with morbidity data on 160,000 different patients in the period 1994-2004. Excess comorbidity was determined in patients with erysipelas in 2004., Results: In the period 1994-2004, the age-standardized incidence of erysipelas increased significantly from 1.88 (95% confidence interval, CI, 1.62-2.13) per 1,000 patients to 2.49 (95% CI 2.24-2.74). Of patients with erysipelas, 16% had one or more recurrences. Local factors such as dermatophytosis, chronic ulcer of the skin, varicose veins of the leg and phlebitis and general disorders such as obesity, non-insulin-dependent diabetes and heart failure increased the risk of erysipelas., Conclusion: The incidence of erysipelas increased from 1994 to 2004. More attention should be paid to local factors such as dermatophytosis to prevent erysipelas., (Copyright (c) 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel.)