Investigating the efficacy of Mupirocin as a decolonisation agent in preventing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) healthcare related infections

Abstract

The burden of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) on health resources continues to be problematic. Health related infections (HAIs) attributed to MRSA are becoming increasingly difficult to treat, and at the heart of the problem is the sparsity of antimicrobial agents available due to antimicrobial/antibiotic resistance (AMR). Mupirocin is a key agent, and one of the very few anti-staphylococcal agents, currently utilised in the medical management of MRSA carriers. However, its use has been limited by the increasing degree of AMR exhibited by MRSA strains, and as a result its use has become increasingly restricted.

The success of these agents is seen as crucial in the clearance of MRSA carriers prior to surgical procedure for example or at the time of admission to hospital. Failure to successfully decolonise MRSA patients exposes the to HAIs, including surgical site infections (SSIs).

The aim of this project is three-fold. Firstly, I evaluate the efficacy of Mupirocin in preventing MRSA related surgical site infections using a systematic analysis. Secondly, I analyse 5-year data on MRSA prevalence in one English and one Welsh hospital sites retrospectively. Lastly, I investigate the antimicrobial profile of a novel engineered gel as a potential substitute to Mupirocin in vitro.

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Identifiers

ORCID for Sylvia Pender: orcid.org/0000-0001-6332-0333

ORCID for Robert Read: orcid.org/0000-0002-4297-6728

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