C. Watanakunakorn et al., MUPIROCIN OINTMENT WITH AND WITHOUT CHLORHEXIDINE BATHS IN THE ERADICATION OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS-AUREUS NASAL CARRIAGE IN NURSING-HOME RESIDENTS, American journal of infection control, 23(5), 1995, pp. 306-309
Background: Mupirocin ointment has been shown to be effective in eradi
cating Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage in residents of a long-ter
m care facility. Antiseptic soaps have been used as adjunct to this th
erapy. We compared the efficacy of short-term intranasal mupirocin oin
tment with and without chlorhexidine baths in the eradication of S. au
reus nasal carriage with follow-up for 12 weeks. Methods: Residents in
four nursing homes known to have endemic methicillin-resistant S. aur
eus were screened for nasal carriage of S. aureus. Residents who had a
nterior nares cultures positive for S. aureus on two separate occasion
s were divided into two groups. Both groups received intranasal mupiro
cin ointment twice daily for 5 days and one group also received chlorh
exidine baths for the first 3 days. Cultures of anterior nares, axilla
, and groins were performed before treatment and 1 day and 1, 4, 8, an
d 12 weeks after treatment. Results: After treatment, S. aureus nasal
carriage was eradicated in all residents. Recolonization with S. aureu
s had occurred at 12 weeks in 24% of residents receiving mupirocin oin
tment alone (6/25) and in 15% of residents receiving mupirocin ointmen
t plus chlorhexidine baths (4/27). Conclusions: A short course of mupi
rocin ointment was effective in eradicating nasal carriage of S. aureu
s in nursing home residents. There were no statistical differences in
efficacy between the two regimens with respect to the eradication of n
asal carriage and prevention of recolonization with S. aureus.