A new study suggests the decolonization of patients with methicillin-resistant Staphyolococcus aureus can help curb infection rates, thought it is a difficult process that doesn't always work.
Researchers prescribed decolonization treatment for 268 patients with MRSA infections. Of that group, 104 of the decolonizations were successful and the authors found infection rates dropped to zero among the successful decolonization group and came in at 4.3 percent for the group whose decolonizations failed.
"Our results fit well with the prescription of decolonization based on local strategy protocols but reflect a low rate of successful treatment," they concluded. "Although the success rate of decolonization was not high in our study, the effectiveness of decolonization on the infection rate justifies the continuation of this strategy, even if a marginal cost is incurred."