Danish experience of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus eradication with emphasis on nose–throat colonization and supplementary systemic antibiotic treatment

• Published in: The Journal of hospital infection Vol. 103; no. 4; pp. 461 - 464
• Main Authors: Petersen, I.S., Christensen, J.M., Zeuthen, A.B., Madsen, P.B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2019
• Subjects: Administration, Oral; Administration, Topical; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anti-Bacterial Agents - administration & dosage; Carrier State - drug therapy; Carrier State - microbiology; Child; Child, Preschool; Denmark; Female; Guidelines as Topic; Humans; Male; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus - isolation & purification; Meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Middle Aged; Nasal Mucosa - microbiology; Nose colonization; Pharynx - microbiology; Staphylococcal Infections - drug therapy; Staphylococcal Infections - microbiology; Systemic antibiotic treatment; Throat colonization; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult; Denmark; Nose colonization; Throat colonization; Meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Systemic antibiotic treatment
• ISSN: 0195-6701; 1532-2939
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2019.09.005

This study aimed to evaluate the Danish Board of Health's guidance for treating the carriage of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), focusing on nose–throat carriage and use of supplementary systemic antibiotics. The results of MRSA eradication treatment among 358 patients were analysed, focusing on those with nose (N=58) or throat (N=183) MRSA colonization. The Danish guidance for MRSA treatment was found to be more successful in patients with nose colonization (66%) compared with throat colonization (41%), despite the fact that the cumulative eradication rates were equal after three treatment cycles (71% vs 73%). This study found that supplementation of colonization treatment with systemic antibiotics does not have a positive effect.