Do rapid detection & isolation of colonised patients reduce Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) spread? An epidemiological, economic & modelling study.

MRSA is a significant problem for hospital patients, causing increased length of stay and risk of complications. It is spread mainly on the contaminated hands of healthcare workers. Control of MRSA within hospitals still remains controversial, with some insisting that swabbing of all patients and use of special isolation precautions is mandatory for prevention of its spread. We plan to test whether swabbing all patients admitted to the intensive care unit and then putting patients who are found to be positive in single rooms and using gloves and gowns for all contact with these patients is more effective at preventing spread of MRSA from patient to patient than what we currently do ie looking after patients in the general ward, wearing plastic aprons at all times and only using gowns and gloves if we are likely to come into contact with bodily fluids (and not swabbing any patients). We plan to use the most rapid tests available to determine whether someone is carrying MRSA on their body which will give us a result within hours compared with the 2-3 days it currently takes to get a result. We also plan to do an economic evaluation to see if the intervention is worth the extra cost.