Report finds RAH one of the worst for staph infections The Royal Adelaide Hospital recorded 62 cases of Staphylococcus aureus infections in the blood in 2011-12. ADELAIDE'S major hospital is among the nation's worst for potentially deadly golden staph infections, a report shows. The Royal Adelaide Hospital recorded 62 cases of Staphylococcus aureus infections in the blood in 2011-12 - equal highest in the nation with Westmead in Sydney. When the figure is compared nationally by patient bed days, the hospital ranks sixth in Australia with a rate of 2.15 per 10,000 patient days. The national target is set at no more than two cases per 10,000 patient bed days. SA Health has embarked on a hand hygiene program, which it credits for helping to reduce the rate to 1.4 in the nine months since the data used in the report. Golden staph is commonly found on the skin, and in the nose and throat of healthy people, but can cause serious complications and poisoning when the bacteria finds its way into the blood. University of Adelaide Professor John Turnidge, a microbiology expert, said about 20 per cent of golden staph infections were the more worrying antibiotic-resistant types. "The most common reason for golden staph infection in hospital is because you've got an IV line or another kind of plumbing; like a catheter," he said. About 20-35 per cent of patients with golden staph die. The National Health Performance Authority report, out today, recorded 1725 cases of the infection at 352 public hospitals across Australia in 2011-12. In rural SA, Mount Gambier Hospital recorded four cases - a rate of 1.58 per 10,000 patient days - while other hospitals, including Berri, Port Lincoln, Whyalla and Victor Harbor did not report any cases. In Adelaide, cases were reported at Flinders Medical Centre (19 cases at a rate of 0.84) and the Queen Elizabeth (16 cases at a rate of 1.02), Lyell McEwin (eight cases at a rate of 0.56), Women's and Children's (10 cases at a rate of 0.91) Modbury (five cases at a rate of 0.83) hospitals. Flinders Private, St Andrews and Western private hospital were also among the state's worst.