Nasal and hand carriage of Staphylococcus aureus in healthcare workers

Six double-blind, randomised placebo-controlled clinical trials in the United States have evaluated the elimination of Staphylococcus aureus carriage in healthcare workers with mupirocin ointment. Consistent data from the six centres demonstrated that calcium mupirocin ointment administered intranasally for five days is safe and effective in eliminating nasal carriage of S. aureus. Hand cultures were also performed at one centre, showing that hand carriage rates were significantly decreased 72 hours post-therapy and at six months. Additionally, molecular typing of all isolates obtained from the nares and hands found identical strains at both sites in the majority of subjects, implicating the nares as the primary reservoir of S. aureus colonisation.