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Attempts to eradicate methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from a long-term-care facility with the use of
C A Kauffman1, M S Terpenning, X He
1Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48105.
Purpose:
To assess the impact of the use of mupirocin ointment on colonization, transmission, and infection with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in a long-term-care facility.
Patients And Methods:
All 321 residents of a Veterans Affairs long-term-care facility from June 1990 through June 1991 were studied for MRSA colonization and infection. MRSA-colonized patients received mupirocin ointment to nares in the first 7 months and to nares and wounds in the second 5 months. The effect of mupirocin use on MRSA colonization and infection was monitored. All S. aureus strains isolated were tested for the development of resistance to mupirocin.
Results:
A total of 65 patients colonized with MRSA received mupirocin ointment. Mupirocin rapidly eliminated MRSA at the sites treated in most patients by the end of 1 week. Weekly maintenance mupirocin was not adequate to prevent recurrences--40% of patients had recurrence of MRSA. Overall, MRSA colonization in the facility, which was 22.7% +/- 1% prior to the use of mupirocin, did not change when mupirocin was used in nares only (22.2% +/- 2.1%), but did decrease to 11.5% +/- 1.8% when mupirocin was used in nares and wounds. Although colonization decreased, roommate-to-roommate transmission and MRSA infection rates, low to begin with, did not change when mupirocin was used. Mupirocin-resistant MRSA strains were isolated in 10.8% of patients.
Conclusions:
Mupirocin ointment is effective at decreasing colonization with MRSA. However, constant surveillance was required to identify patients colonized at admission or experiencing recurrence of MRSA during maintenance treatment. Long-term use of mupirocin selected for mupirocin-resistant MRSA strains. Mupirocin should be saved for use in outbreak situations, and not used over the long term in facilities with endemic MRSA colonization.
Insights
Mupirocin ointment effectively reduced methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization in long-term care facilities, but did not impact transmission or infection rates. Long-term use led to mupirocin-resistant MRSA strains, suggesting limited application.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Antimicrobial Stewardship
- Healthcare Epidemiology
Background:
- Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) poses a significant challenge in healthcare settings, particularly in long-term-care facilities (LTCFs).
- Controlling MRSA colonization and transmission is crucial for preventing infections and improving patient outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of mupirocin ointment in reducing MRSA colonization, transmission, and infection within an LTCF.
- To assess the development of mupirocin resistance in MRSA strains during treatment.
Main Methods:
- A prospective study involving 321 residents in a Veterans Affairs LTCF over 12 months.
- Mupirocin ointment applied to nares and/or wounds in MRSA-colonized patients.
- Monitoring of MRSA colonization, infection, and resistance development.
Main Results:
- Mupirocin rapidly reduced MRSA at treated sites, but recurrences were common (40%).
- MRSA colonization decreased significantly when mupirocin was applied to nares and wounds (11.5%), but not nares alone (22.2%).
- Transmission and infection rates remained unchanged; mupirocin-resistant MRSA emerged in 10.8% of patients.
Conclusions:
- Mupirocin effectively decreases MRSA colonization but requires vigilant surveillance for recurrences.
- Long-term mupirocin use selects for resistant MRSA strains, limiting its utility.
- Mupirocin should be reserved for outbreak management rather than routine long-term use in endemic settings.