MRSA PCR nasal swab shows promise as stewardship tool

WASHINGTON — A MRSA PCR nasal swab showed promise as a tool for antimicrobial stewardship in a large study of pediatric critical care patients, according to findings presented here at IDWeek.

In this video, Lexi M. Crawford, MD, a third-year pediatric critical care fellow at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, discusses a study of 3,139 pediatric critical care patients that tested the predictive value of a MRSA nasal swab PCR to predict the presence of invasive MRSA infection in pediatric patients.

Crawford and colleagues noted that patients in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) are often treated with antibiotics for MRSA even though invasive MRSA infections are rare in this population.

Their study found that the swab had a negative predictive value of greater than 98% and that it could be a powerful tool for antimicrobial stewardship.

References:

Crawford L, et al. Abstract 792. Presented at: IDWeek; Oct. 19-23, 2022; Washington (hybrid meeting).