Feb. 7, 2023 – Black and Hispanic people on dialysis have higher rates of staph bloodstream infections than White people, with Hispanic patients having a 40% higher risk of staph bloodstream infections, a report released by the CDC said.
More broadly, dialysis patients overall were 100 times more likely to get a staph infection than the general population.
Black and Hispanic people have a higher risk of kidney failure and make up disproportionate percentages of dialysis patients compared to population figures.
Staph infections can be caused when the bacteria enters the patient's bloodstream. This can happen if needles or catheters are contaminated. Staph infections are serious and sometimes are deadly.
Infections in general could be the No. 2 killer of dialysis patients, Shannon Novosad, MD, head of the CDC’s dialysis safety team, told reporters.
The CDC says more than 800,000 people in the country live with kidney failure, and 70% are on dialysis.
People of color have a higher risk of kidney failure, which is four times higher among Black people and twice as high for Hispanics. Together, they make up half of dialysis patients.
“Preventing staph bloodstream infections begins by detecting chronic kidney disease in its early stages to prevent or delay the need for dialysis,” said CDC Chief Medical Officer Debra Houry, MD. “Healthcare providers can promote preventative practices, including methods to manage diabetes and high blood pressure, as well as providing education on treatment options among all patients and particularly those at greatest risk, to slow the progression of chronic kidney disease.”