mupirocin + chlorhexidine gluconate

This combination refers to a clinical decolonization protocol consisting of topical intranasal mupirocin ointment and daily bathing with chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG). Mupirocin is a small molecule antibiotic that works by specifically binding to bacterial isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase, which inhibits protein synthesis and leads to bacterial cell death. Chlorhexidine gluconate is a cationic biguanide antiseptic that provides broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity by disrupting bacterial cell membranes. This dual-action strategy is primarily employed in healthcare settings, particularly Intensive Care Units (ICUs), to eradicate the carriage of Staphylococcus aureus (including methicillin-resistant S. aureus, or MRSA) from the nares and skin. The protocol was a central component of the large-scale Swap Out Trial led by the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute in collaboration with the CDC and HCA Healthcare, which demonstrated the protocol's efficacy in preventing clinical infections and bloodstream infections in critically ill patients.

Other names

Mupirocin/CHGMupirocin-CHG decolonizationMupirocin-CHG protocol