Preventing MRSA
The interventions that work are unglamorous and well-studied: clean hands, covered wounds, no shared personal items, and disciplined antimicrobial stewardship.
In the community
Wash hands frequently with soap and water, or use alcohol-based hand sanitiser. Keep cuts and scrapes covered until fully healed. Do not share towels, razors, soap bars, athletic gear, or uniforms. Shower immediately after contact sports and launder workout clothing after every session.
In healthcare
Strict hand hygiene before and after every patient contact remains the single highest-impact intervention. Contact precautions, single rooms for colonised patients, daily chlorhexidine bathing in ICUs, and active surveillance cultures reduce transmission. Disinfection of high-touch surfaces and shared equipment closes the loop.
Antimicrobial stewardship
Limiting unnecessary antibiotic exposure reduces the selective pressure that favours resistant organisms. Hospital antimicrobial stewardship programmes have been associated with measurable declines in MRSA bacteremia.