Study: Soap and ointment used on all ICU patients reduces MRSA

IRVINE, Calif., May 31 (UPI) -- Providing germ-killing soap and ointment to all intensive care unit patients reduced bloodstream infections significantly, U.S. researchers say.

A multidisciplinary research team from the University of California, Irvine, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Hospital Corporation of America and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted the study, which involved 74 adult ICUs and 74,256 patients in two stages from 2009-11.

The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, said using germ-killing soap and ointment on all ICU patients could reduce bloodstream infections by up to 44 percent and significantly reduce the presence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Patients who have MRSA on their bodies are at increased risk of developing a MRSA infection and it can spread to other patients via healthcare personnel, the researchers said.

The research team evaluated the effectiveness of three MRSA prevention practices: routine care, providing germ-killing soap and ointment only to patients with MRSA and providing germ-killing soap and ointment to all ICU patients.

The study found:

-- Routine care didn't significantly reduce MRSA or bloodstream infections.

-- Providing germ-killing soap and ointment only to patients with MRSA reduced bloodstream infections by any germ 23 percent.

-- Providing germ-killing soap and ointment to all ICU patients reduced MRSA 37 percent and bloodstream infections by any germ 44 percent.