Molecular characterization of nasal methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus isolates showing increasing prevalence of mupirocin resistance and associated multidrug resistance following attempted decolonization

Abstract

Sequential methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates from patients following attempted mupirocin nasal decolonization showed an increase in mupirocin resistance (MR) from 6.6% to 20%. MR isolates from patients who failed decolonization yielded indistinguishable spa types and carried multiple antimicrobial and antiseptic resistance genes, which may guide infection control and prevention.