title: Efficacy of intranasal application of povidone-iodine cream in eradicating nasal methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) staff.
abstract: We investigated the staff in our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for the presence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in the nasal cavity, and then applied intranasal povidone-iodine cream to the physicians and nurses working on the unit. Prior to the application of povidone-iodine cream, the isolation rate of S. aureus from the nasal cavity was 30% for the physicians and nurses in contact with NICU patients (contact group), not significantly different from the 33.3% rate for other hospital staff (control group). The isolation rate for the contact group decreased to 10.5% after application of the cream. Although MRSA was not isolated from the nasal cavity of those in the control group, it was isolated from 13.3% of those of the contact group before application of the cream. Nasal MRSA disappeared after use of the cream. No adverse reactions or abnormalities in serum levels of thyroid hormone-related substances were observed in any of the subjects. These results indicated that the nasal application of povidone-iodine cream is safe and effective for eradicating MRSA in the nasal cavity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Showa University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Masano
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fukuchi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wakuta
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tanaka
mesh_terms: D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D002353:Carrier State / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D017757:Infectious Disease Transmission, Professional-to-Patient / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000382:microbiology*; D011206:Povidone-Iodine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D011206:Povidone-Iodine