Research presented at IDWeek 2012 suggests nasal swabs and antimicrobial baths could dramatically reduce MRSA infections.
The study involved nearly 75,000 patients in 43 mostly community hospitals in 16 states. The hospitals tested and compared three infection prevention strategies:
1. Conduct routine care, screen ICU patients for MRSA and isolate those found to be carrying the bacteria
2. Screen and isolate carriers but also provided bathing with chlorhexidine soap and then nasal mupirocin ointment to help remove (decolonize) MRSA from the body
3. Eliminate all screening and instead treated every patient who was admitted with the daily chlorhexidine bath and five days of mupirocin ointment in the nose
The strategy that proved most effective was CHG bathing/nasal swabbing for ICU patients. This intervention helped reduce the number of patients harboring MRSA by more than a third. In addition, bloodstream infections caused by MRSA and other pathogens decreased by nearly half.
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The study involved nearly 75,000 patients in 43 mostly community hospitals in 16 states. The hospitals tested and compared three infection prevention strategies:
1. Conduct routine care, screen ICU patients for MRSA and isolate those found to be carrying the bacteria
2. Screen and isolate carriers but also provided bathing with chlorhexidine soap and then nasal mupirocin ointment to help remove (decolonize) MRSA from the body
3. Eliminate all screening and instead treated every patient who was admitted with the daily chlorhexidine bath and five days of mupirocin ointment in the nose
The strategy that proved most effective was CHG bathing/nasal swabbing for ICU patients. This intervention helped reduce the number of patients harboring MRSA by more than a third. In addition, bloodstream infections caused by MRSA and other pathogens decreased by nearly half.
More Articles on Patient Safety:
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