A MRSA outbreak in a California hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit has infection control experts are rethinking their strategy to prevent superbug infections, according to an article on the Fierce Healthcare website.
The strategy, used in 65 percent to 80 percent of hospitals, treats all patients in the ICU with daily disinfectant baths and antibiotic nasal swipes.
But the method didn’t work at the California hospital’s intensive care unit, where seven infants became sick. The hospital also isolated the infected babies and made sure nurses washed their hands.
Some experts worry that treating all patients with the disinfectant and antibiotic could make bacteria more resistant to drugs.