Utility of a Single Nasal Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay in Predicting Absence of Skin and Environmental Contamination in Hospitalized Patients with Past Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus

We evaluated hospitalized patients with a history of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) for persistent colonization and need for contact precautions. Up to 3 daily cultures of nares, skin, and any present wounds were compared with a single nasal polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Most patients (76.2%) were no longer colonized with MRSA. A single PCR assay was sufficient to exclude persistent colonization and environmental contamination and remove the contact precautions.