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Are Contact Precautions "Essential" for the Prevention of Healthcare-associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus?

Author information

Affiliations

  • 1. Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.
      Authors
    • Diekema DJ 1
    • Smith MW 1
    (2 authors)
  • 2. Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Montefiore Health System, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NewYork, USA.
      Authors
    • Nori P 2
    (1 author)
  • 3. Department of Medicine, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA.
      Authors
    • Stevens MP 3
    (1 author)
  • 4. Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
      Authors
    • Coffey KC 4
    • Morgan DJ 4
    (2 authors)

ORCIDs linked to this article

Clinical Infectious Diseases : an Official Publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, 01 May 2024, 78(5):1289-1294
https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciad571 PMID: 37738565 

Abstract 

The recently updated Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, the Infectious Diseases Society of America, and the Association of Professionals in Infection Control practice recommendations for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) prevention in acute care facilities list contact precautions (CPs) for patients known to be infected or colonized with MRSA as an "essential practice," meaning that it should be adopted in all acute care facilities. We argue that existing evidence on benefits and harms associated with CP do not justify this recommendation. There are no controlled trials that support broad use of CP for MRSA prevention. Data from hospitals that have discontinued CP for MRSA have found no impact on MRSA acquisition or infection. The burden and harms of CP remain concerning, including the environmental impact of increased gown and glove use. We suggest that CP be included among other "additional approaches" to MRSA prevention that can be implemented under specific circumstances (eg outbreaks, evidence of ongoing transmission despite application of essential practices).

Full text links 

Read article at publisher's site: https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciad571

Read article for free, from open access legal sources, via Unpaywall: https://academic.oup.com/cid/advance-article-pdf/doi/10.1093/cid/ciad571/51721277/ciad571.pdfUnpaywall

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