Controlling the usage of intranasal mupirocin does impact the rate of Staphylococcus aureus deep sternal wound infections in cardiac surgery patients

Background Staphylococcus aureus (S aureus) is the major cause of surgical site infections (SSI). At The Christ Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, S aureus accounted for over 80% of sternal wound infections in cardiac surgery patients. Approximately 700 cardiac surgeries are performed each year, with an associated infection rate of 1.8% per 100 procedures performed. In an attempt to reduce S aureus sternal wound infections, the use of prophylactic intranasal mupirocin was examined. Methods Each patient undergoing cardiac surgery was nasally cultured before entering the operating room, and then intranasal mupirocin was applied and continued every 12 hours. Culture results were finalized within 48 hours. Mupirocin was discontinued when the culture returned negative and continued for 7 days when the culture returned positive for S aureus. Results Cultures showed a S aureus carrier rate of 21%. These patients received mupirocin for 7 days. A decrease in S aureus-associated SSI rates was observed from a case rate of 1.68% to 0.37% per 100 procedures over a 17-month period. Conclusion Identifying and treating S aureus carriers with a full course of mupirocin does impact the rate of S aureus surgical site infections.