chlorhexidine + mupirocin

This decolonization protocol, evaluated in the ABATE (Active Bathing to Eliminate) Infection Trial, consists of a combination of daily chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bathing for all patients and targeted intranasal mupirocin ointment for known MRSA carriers. Developed by the University of California, Irvine in collaboration with HCA Healthcare and the CDC, the strategy aims to reduce healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) in non-critical care settings. Chlorhexidine acts as a broad-spectrum antiseptic by disrupting microbial cell membranes, while mupirocin is a topical antibiotic that inhibits bacterial protein synthesis by binding to isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase. Although the trial did not show a significant reduction in the overall patient population, it demonstrated a significant decrease in bloodstream infections and MDRO clinical cultures among patients with medical devices.

Brand names

HibiclensBactroban

Other names

ABATE decolonization protocolchlorhexidine gluconate + mupirocinUniversal chlorhexidine bathing and targeted mupirocin