Mupirocin Prophylaxis Misses by a Nose
Authors: Henry F. Chambers, Lisa G. Winston
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2004)

Editorials16 March 2004Mupirocin Prophylaxis Misses by a NoseHenry F. Chambers III, MD and Lisa G. Winston, MDHenry F. Chambers III, MDFrom University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco General Hospital, San Francisco, CA 94110.Search for more papers by this author and Lisa G. Winston, MDFrom University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco General Hospital, San Francisco, CA 94110.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-140-6-200403160-00017 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Of all nosocomial infections, those caused by Staphylococcus aureus should be among the most preventable because the patient is usually colonized with the causative strain well before onset of actual infection and before entering the hospital (1). These facts suggest the following strategy: eliminate the colonizing strain, and subsequent infection should not occur. In several studies, mupirocin topically applied to the anterior nares, a common site for S. aureus colonization, has been highly effective in eradicating S. aureus carriage for as long as several weeks (2, 3). Because hospitalization constitutes a defined period of increased risk, mupirocin could be an ...References1. von Eiff C, Becker K, Machka K, Stammer H, Peters G. Nasal carriage as a source of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia. Study Group. N Engl J Med. 2001;344:11-6. [PMID: 11136954] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. Martin JN, Perdreau-Remington F, Kartalija M, Pasi OG, Webb M, Gerberding JL, et al . A randomized clinical trial of mupirocin in the eradication of Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage in human immunodeficiency virus disease. J Infect Dis. 1999;180:896-9. [PMID: 10438389] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Laupland KB, Conly JM. Treatment of Staphylococcus aureus colonization and prophylaxis for infection with topical intranasal mupirocin: an evidence-based review. Clin Infect Dis. 2003;37:933-8. [PMID: 13130405] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Kalmeijer MD, Coertjens H, van Nieuwland-Bollen PM, Bogaers-Hofman D, de Baere GA, Stuurman A, et al . Surgical site infections in orthopedic surgery: the effect of mupirocin nasal ointment in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Clin Infect Dis. 2002;35:353-8. [PMID: 12145715] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Wertheim HF, Vos MC, Ott A, Voss A, Kluytmans JA, Vandenbroucke-Grauls CM, et al . Mupirocin prophylaxis against nosocomial Staphylococcus aureus infections in nonsurgical patients. A randomized study. Ann Intern Med. 2004;140:419-25. LinkGoogle Scholar6. Perl TM, Cullen JJ, Wenzel RP, Zimmerman MB, Pfaller MA, Sheppard D, et al . Intranasal mupirocin to prevent postoperative Staphylococcus aureus infections. N Engl J Med. 2002;346:1871-7. [PMID: 12063371] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar7. Lowy FD. Staphylococcus aureus infections. N Engl J Med. 1998;339:520-32. [PMID: 9709046] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. Laupland KB, Church DL, Mucenski M, Sutherland LR, Davies HD. Population-based study of the epidemiology of and the risk factors for invasive Staphylococcus aureus infections. J Infect Dis. 2003;187:1452-9. [PMID: 12717627] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar9. Nasal mupirocin prevents Staphylococcus aureus exit-site infection during peritoneal dialysis. Mupirocin Study Group. J Am Soc Nephrol. 1996;7:2403-8. [PMID: 8959632] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar10. Boelaert JR, De Smedt RA, De Baere YA, Godard CA, Matthys EG, Schurgers ML, et al . The influence of calcium mupirocin nasal ointment on the incidence of Staphylococcus aureus infections in haemodialysis patients. Nephrol Dial Transplant. 1989;4:278-81. [PMID: 2502734] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar11. Raz R, Miron D, Colodner R, Staler Z, Samara Z, Keness Y. A 1-year trial of nasal mupirocin in the prevention of recurrent staphylococcal nasal colonization and skin infection. Arch Intern Med. 1996;156:1109-12. [PMID: 8638999] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar12. Bommer J, Vergetis W, Andrassy K, Hingst V, Borneff M, Huber W. Elimination of Staphylococcus aureus in hemodialysis patients. ASAIO J. 1995;41:127-31. [PMID: 7727815] MedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Henry F. ChambersIII, MD; Lisa G. Winston, MDAffiliations: From University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco General Hospital, San Francisco, CA 94110.Disclosures: None disclosed.Corresponding Author: Henry F. Chambers III, MD, Division of Infectious Diseases, San Francisco General Hospital, Room 3400, Building 30, 1001 Potrero Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94110.Current Author Addresses: Dr. Chambers: Division of Infectious Diseases, San Francisco General Hospital, Rosalind Russell Laboratories, Building 30, 3rd Floor, 1001 Potrero Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94110.Dr. Winston: Division of Infectious Diseases, San Francisco General Hospital, 5H22, 1001 Potrero Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94110. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoMupirocin Prophylaxis against Nosocomial Staphylococcus aureus Infections in Nonsurgical Patients Heiman F.L. Wertheim , Margreet C. Vos , Alewijn Ott , Andreas Voss , Jan A.J.W. Kluytmans , Christina M.J.E. Vandenbroucke-Grauls , Marlene H.M. Meester , Peter H.J. van Keulen , and Henri A. Verbrugh Metrics Cited byNasal Soft Tissue InfectionsTopical Antibacterial AgentsTopical Antibacterial AgentsTargeted Intranasal Mupirocin To Prevent Colonization and Infection by Community-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Strains in Soldiers: a Cluster Randomized Controlled TrialIs mupirocine-profylaxe effectief tegen nosocomiale S.-aureusinfecties? 16 March 2004Volume 140, Issue 6Page: 484-485KeywordsInfectious diseasesInpatientsMedical risk factorsMicrobiologyNosocomial infectionsPopulation statisticsProphylaxisStaphylococcal infectionStaphylococcus aureusSurgery ePublished: 16 March 2004 Issue Published: 16 March 2004 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2004 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...