Universal MRSA/Staphylococcal Decolonization for Hospitalized Patients

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) remains an important public health threat. MRSA is one of the most important common causes of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in most hospitals. 47.9% of Staphylococcus aureus HAIs are due to MRSA. In addition, MRSA infections can result in substantial morbidity and mortality and lead to increase costs and length of stay. Both targeted decolonization, i.e., decolonize only patients identified to carry MRSA with chlorhexidine (CHG) bathing and intranasal mupirocin, and universal decolonization, i.e., decolonize all high-risk patients with CHG with or without mupirocin, have demonstrated decreased cross-transmission and infection with MRSA. Trials have shown that universal decolonization in adult and pediatric intensive care units (ICUs) has resulted in greater reduction of MRSA infections compared to targeted decolonization. A recent trial demonstrated universal decolonization with CHG bathing in non-critical care-reduced MRSA for patients with medical devices.