Nasal Swabs Collected Routinely To Screen for Colonization by Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Intensive Care Units Are a Sensitive Screening Test for the Organism in Clinical Cultures

Screening with PCR analysis of nasal swab specimens is a highly sensitive test for MRSA in clinical cultures. Clinicians may be able to use the swab results to tailor more appropriate empiric antimicrobial regimens. The results with chromogenic medium screening are markedly poorer, which suggests that clinicians should view them with caution.