Community-acquired MRSA infections are increasingly common in the community and in particular among certain groups of which soldiers are one. Many researchers and clinicians have postulated that one method to prevent infections is to selectively eradicate CA-MRSA in those who are colonized with the pathogen. The two main purposes of the study are: to determine if selective CA-MRSA eradication in subjects reduces infections in the CA-MRSA colonized individual; and to determine if selective CA-MRSA eradication in subjects reduces infections in the study cohort. Other information concerning CA-MRSA includes: prevalence, risk factors, and virulence data. The population will be soldiers enrolled in the combat medic training class at Ft. Sam Houston. We will enroll approximately 3000 soldiers over a two year period. After informed written consent, we will culture their anterior nares nares and administer questionnaires at the beginning and at the end of the study, following them prospectively for infections. The follow-up period will be 16 weeks. For those with CA-MRSA in their nares, they will be randomized (by cohort) to receive either 5 days of mupirocin or placebo.
The main purpose of this study is to determine if applying mupirocin into soldiers noses who are colonized with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) will reduce infections in them and their cohort of fellow soldiers.